About Last Night
by TALKS
Summary: Santana and Brittany have been divorced for 2 years, but their seven year old daughter is determined to get her moms back together. Will it work? *Brittana*AU
1. Chapter 1

**This is a mini story with shorter chapters from a prompt given to me by my Tumblr following...hope you all enjoy ;)**

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><p>Taylor stared impatiently at the clock in her bright purple room, anxiously waiting for it to turn 8am, which was the preapproved time she was allowed to wake up her mother. She looked around her room at the pictures on her wall of different famous singers, actresses, and dancers she idolized. She glanced over at the picture family portrait taken just two years ago of her and her mothers, Brittany and Santana, at the pumpkin farm. Brittany was sitting on a gigantic pumpkin, Santana on her lap, and Taylor on the Latina's lap. Taylor was holding a mini pumpkin above her head, almost like she was presenting it to the world, while Brittany and Santana stared at her with huge smiles on their faces.<p>

"That day was super fun." Taylor remembered with a smile before turning on her iPad stereo and listening to her favorite song, _Let It Go._ She sang along as loud as possible while lying back on her black satin pillowcase. She danced as best as she could lying down, swaying her arms, and kicking her feet, when her alarm went off. She sat up quickly and turned the iPad off before hopping out of bed and running to her floor length mirror.

"I'm pretty, smart, talented, and the world is mine." She stared confidently in the mirror. "Nothing and no one can stop the goals I have for myself as long as I stay focused and keep my eyes on the prize." She rattled off. She then ran her fingers through her long raven hair and winked at herself before running out of the room and down the hall to the master bedroom.

She slowly opened the door and peeped inside with a big smile. She climbed in the huge bed and snuggled close to Santana, who was fast asleep on her back. Santana felt her daughter's warm body next to hers, so she rolled over on her and began tickling her.

"Mami!." Taylor cried out while laughing. "Mami wait!"

Santana laughed and rolled back on her side."Buenas dias, mi amor."

"Buenas dias." Taylor mimicked.

Santana leaned forward and kissed her softly on the forehead as Taylor got under the covers and cuddled close to her mother. "How did you sleep, sweetheart?"

"Good." Taylor shrugged. "How did you sleep?"

Santana laughed. "I slept great until I heard this loud screeching coming from your room, I thought something was attacking you, and I got worried." She stated.

Taylor's eyes grew wide. "W-what was it?"

"It sounded like a sick cat singing _Let It Go._" Santana teased with a smirk.

Taylor shocked looked quickly turned into a glare as she poked her mother in the forehead. "Not funny."

"You are getting so good mija." Santana told her. "Your singing lessons are really paying off, I'm proud of you."

"Thanks." Taylor ducked her head shyly as her caramel cheeks tinged with red. Taylor was a splitting image of Santana aside from her bright blue eyes. Santana carried her and Brittany's older cousin, Simon, was the sperm donor, thus Taylor inheriting the piercing blue Pierce family eye color.

"You're welcome." Santana stretched and glanced at the clock behind her. "So, today is our last day together, what are we doing? You're in charge."

Taylor tapped her chin, deep in thought, causing Santana to laugh. _Such a Brittany trait._ She thought to her self. "Let's start with coffee and take it from there." Taylor stated.

Santana raised her eyebrow as she sat up in bed and stretched. "You are seven years old, you aren't getting coffee, you can have hot chocolate."

"Can I pretend it's coffee?" Taylor asked.

"You can pretend it's whatever you want." She chuckled while getting out of bed. "Go brush your teeth and wash your face, make your bed, then come on down stairs and we can start breakfast."

"Cool." Taylor bounced off the bed and went running down the hall back to her bedroom.

Santana quickly remade her bed and slipped on a pair of fuzzy socks and a sweatshirt, Brittany's NYU sweatshirt to be exact, and picked up the clothes she practically jumped out of last night when she got home and put them in the hamper. She went to the bathroom and did her morning ritual, right before she left she looked in the mirror and stared at herself.

"I'm pretty, smart, talented, and the world is mine." She stared confidently in the mirror. "Nothing and no one can stop the goals I have for myself as long as I stay focused and keep my eyes on the prize." She stated. "I'm also 33 years old, divorced, still in love with my ex wife, and fuck...is that a grey hair?!" She glared at herself before rolling her eyes. "I'm still hott." She shrugged and left the bathroom.

She was plugging in the waffle iron when the phone rang, she frowned at the time and went to answer, taking a deep breath when she saw the caller ID.

_**Hello?**_

_Good morning Santana._

**_Good morning Brit...I mean Brittany, what's up?_**

_I need you to drop off Taylor a little earlier, I have dinner reservations tonight and I have to take her._

**_You're taking her to a business meeting? She's seven, she won't have fun. I'll just keep her again tonight._**

_Are you sure? I mean, I don't want to impose on you._

**_She's half my daughter, Brittany, it's not imposing, tomorrow you can just get her after school._**

_Okay, well tell her I'm sorry, and I'll call her later, I'm headed to a meeting._

**_Of course you are..._**

_I'm not arguing today, have a great day._

**_You too._**

Santana sighed and hung up the phone as Taylor came walking in the kitchen. "Cool waffles!"

"Waffles." Santana nodded while setting a mug of hot chocolate on the counter as Taylor climbed on a stool.

"So your mom just called, and she has a dinner meeting tonight, but I got you out of it and you are going to stay with me for another night." Santana stated while adding cool whip to her daughter's mug. "Is that okay?"

Taylor took a sip and slowly licked the cream off of her top lip. "Or you two could just get back together and i wouldn't have to go from house to house every week."

Santana deflated and walked around the kitchen island to sit next to her on a stool. "I know it's hard on you sweetheart, it's hard on me too, I hate when you're gone, the condo is quiet, I have to cuddle by myself and watch movies, and most of all, my best friend isn't here, but it's best if your mom and I are separate, but you know it doesn't mean we love you any less, you know that right?"

"I know." Taylor nodded. "Don't you still love momma?"

"I do, but it's complicated." Santana stated.

"But you love me."

"More than anything in the world." Santana nodded.

"And you love momma too, so we can be a family again?" Taylor asked slowly.

"I love you two in very different ways." Santana tried to explain. "I love your mom, but it's different now."

"So you still love momma, but just not enough for sweet lady kisses?" Taylor asked.

"What the...?" Santana gasped. "Taylor Quinn Lopez-Pierce where did you hear that?"

"From Aunt Quinn." Taylor shrugged.

Santana rolled her eyes. "You have my permission to tell Aunt Quinn to mind her own damn business next time."

"I can say the _d_ word?" Taylor asked with a sparkle in her eye.

"What?" Santana laughed. "No, your mom would kill me."

"So what do I tell Aunt Quinn?"

Santana went over to the waffle iron and began to ladle in the batter, adding a sprinkle of cinnamon on top. "Nothing sweetheart, just smile sweetly and nod."

"Got it." Taylor replied.

Santana pulled out a fruit salad and set it on the counter, before grabbing a skillet to put two ham steaks in for them. "So are you just going to sip hot chocolate like a princess or are you going to help me cook breakfast, you gotta earn you keep little one." Santana teased.

Taylor hopped off the stool and ran around the counter to the step stool Santana had for her. "When the red light on the waffle iron goes off, carefully turn it over." Santana told her. "Just the handle, don't touch anything it's really hot, mija."

"Got it." Taylor nodded with a smile, her tongue slightly poking out of her lips while she stared at the

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><p>Brittany hopped out of her white Mercedes Benz, her briefcase in one hand, her cell phone in the other. She made her way into the restaurant and looked around for Quinn.<p>

"About time you got here." Quinn smiled. "I thought you were flaking out on me."

"No, I just left a breakfast meeting. I need to land this campaign so I really have to wine and dine these clients." Brittany sighed. "I want this promotion so life can settle down a little for Taylor when she's with me."

"Crazy hours?" Quinn asked.

"Beyond crazy, she's actually staying with Santana tonight, again." Brittany sighed.

"Did Santana give you hell for that?" Quinn asked as the waiter brought over a fresh glass of water with a lemon in it for Brittany.

"Thank you." Brittany shook her head. "She offered actually, I could hear irritation in her voice when I had to get off the phone for the meeting earlier."

Quinn picked up her menu. "Well, I've handled a number of divorces and you two definitely had the most peaceful and amicable one I've ever dealt with it."

Brittany nodded. "We didn't want a messy divorce, we had Taylor to think about. We just split everything down the middle, Santana gave me the house, while she took the rental condo. Joint custody with us alternating weekends, unless one of us has to work, I think it's working out pretty well."

"How is Tay taking it?" Quinn asked, knowing her goddaughter had a good amount of Santana's sass.

"She's getting used to it, she used to sleep with me a lot when she's with me, but it's usually the first day back now, she's getting better." Brittany smiles.

Quinn smiled. "That's good."

"Have you talked to Santana?" Brittany asked curiously.

"No, honestly B, I have nothing to say to her, she checked out on your marriage." Quinn shrugged. "I still think she cheated on you."

Brittany quickly frowned and glared at her. "Watch it Q, you don't know a damn thing that went on in our marriage, you don't get to assume, Santana didn't cheat on me and I didn't cheat on her."

Quinn raised her hands in surrender. "Ok, sorry."

"She's honestly not the bitch that you think she is." Brittany huffed. Quinn simply raised an eyebrow at her. "Ok, maybe she can be a bitch, she was in high school but she's grown, and she's always been different with me, and she loves Taylor more than anything in this world."

"She has too, she's her daughter." Quinn laughed.

"I'm leaving." Brittany moved to stand up, but Quinn grabbed her arm.

"Ok, I'm sorry, Brittany." Quinn replied quickly. "I'm sorry. I admire how you two are co parenting and how careful you are with making sure that Tay adjusts to everything, seriously."

"Just because we are divorced doesn't mean we would stop parenting together. We still run everything by each other to make sure we are on the same page." Brittany told her while finally picking up the menu.

"Any hope of reconciliation?"

Brittany shook her head before shrugging. "I will always love Santana, she knows that, but we grew apart, our careers grew us apart, and this is for the best. Taylor doesn't need to be in an environment where we are constantly arguing, it's not fair to her."

"Okay, well champagne to toast this big deal you are about to close?" Quinn smiled.

"Finger crossed, but yes." Brittany nodded with a smile while motioning for the waiter to come over.

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><p><strong>6pm<strong>

"Are you sure you aren't cheating?" Santana asked her daughter after losing in Wii bowling for the third game in a row.

"I'm a lucky lefty." Taylor smirked while kissing her left hand.

Santana laughed. "Yeah I am too, but it's not working today." She took her controller off and set it on the couch just as Taylor climbed on the couch and cuddled next to her.

"Can we have pizza for dinner?" Taylor asked as she snaked her little arm around her mother.

"We had pizza _and_ french fries on Friday night." Santana reminded her while tapping her arm. "Tonight we are having chicken, broccoli, and rice; which I need to start making now, you have school tomorrow so bedtime is when?"

"8:30pm." Taylor grumbled.

"Awesome, you still know the rules." Santana teased. "Why don't you go pick out an outfit for school tomorrow and bring your backpack here so I can make sure you have everything in it."

"Ok." Taylor kissed Santana on the cheek and hopped off the couch to run to her run.

Santana stood up and turned off the video game system, wrapping up the controllers, and setting them on the TV stand. She was turning off the TV when her doorbell rang. She glanced at the clock and made her way to open the door.

"Brittany...what are you doing here?" Santana asked her while staring at her ex-wife, who was in a fitted knee length navy skirt, and a white and pink pinstriped blouse, a navy trench coat over her outfit.

"Hey, I um, Taylor needs to take this to school tomorrow, so I wanted to bring it over." She handed Santana the envelope, Santana grabbed the envelope, brushing her fingers against Brittany's. She felt that familiar jolt of electricity flow through her body from Brittany's touch and quickly jerked her hand back, she could tell Brittany felt it as well, by how her eyes widened.

"Come in, I'm sure she wants to see you before you leave, if you have time." Santana stepped to the side. "Tay!"

"You redecorated." Brittany smiled. "It looks great in here."

"Yeah, I switched up a few things. Taylor picked out the couch, she said it's the best for snuggles and movie dates." Santana laughed as Taylor came skipping in the living room.

"Momma!" She ran full speed into Brittany's waiting arms.

"I'm sorry about tonight." Brittany told her as she bent down and hugged her daughter. "I promise to make it up to you."

"It's okay." Taylor shrugged while leaning deeper into Brittany's embrace. "Mommy sucks at Wii bowling so I always beat her, not like you, it's hard to beat you sometimes." She then smirked at Santana.

"Whoa." Santana laughed. "Your mom always was good at bowling." She added while locking eyes with Brittany. "Go put this in your backpack, Tay."

"Have a good night, baby girl, I'll see you after school tomorrow." Brittany told her while kissing her on each cheek and allowing Taylor to mimic the action they then did a little handshake, reserved for the two of them. "I love you so much."

"I love you too." Taylor replied. "Good luck at your meeting." She winked before running out of the room.

"Do you practice winking with her?" Brittany asked with a small smile.

"No." Santana shook her head. "She just does it all the time."

"I wonder where she gets it from." Brittany added. "I better get going."

Santana stared at Brittany. "Good luck at your meeting, I'm sure you'll land the client"

"Thanks, how's work going for you?" Brittany asked while straightening out her skirt.

"Good." Santana nodded. "I'm basically a shoo-in for chief of surgery."

"That's what you always wanted right?" Brittany asked curtly. "Your job was always the most important thing to you."

"You're one to talk." Santana snapped lowly, glancing towards the bedroom making sure Taylor wasn't around. "Brittany, I'm not the only one that put their job first once or twice, you didn't become a junior advertising executive overnight."

"Whatever." Brittany sighed. "I need to be focused on this meeting. Have a good night, I'll pick Tay up from school tomorrow, and then we'll swing by and grab her bag from the hospital."

"Fine." Santana sighed as Brittany turned and left the condo. Santana stared at her as she walked to the car and hopped in, driving off quickly. "Good luck." She whispered again before closing the door and heading to the kitchen.

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><p><strong>Midnight<strong>

Santana was awake, watching TV in the living room when her cell phone rang, she untangled the cover from around her and reached over blindly to grab it. She saw it was Brittany and answered right away.

_**It's midnight, are you okay?**_

_I'm at your door, can you let me in?_

Santana jumped up and went to the door, opening it quickly. "What are you doing here? What's wrong?" She asked Brittany while motioning for her to come in.

"I got the client and a promotion, Im a senior exec now." Brittany beamed happily. "You encouraged me to take the entry level position and even helped pay my way through college, you're still my best friend, so I had to tell you first." She rambled.

Santana's eyes widened. "Shit, seriously?!" She whispered. "Congrats!" She beamed while quickly hugging Brittany. "I'm proud of you, Brittany, so proud of you."

"Thanks." Brittany kissed her on the cheek. "Thanks for always believing in me." She hugged Santana tightly again and without thinking kissed her firmly on the lips.

Santana stared at her in shock, but quickly crashed their lips together again before either one knew what was happening. Ten minutes later Brittany was pinned against the front door, her leg wrapped around Santana's thigh, with the Latina's hand under her skirt dangerously close to her core. her coat was down at her ankles, and the buttons on her blouse were popped off. Santana's robe was opened and her tank top was twisted around her body, with one of her breasts poking out, a hardened nipple on display as Brittany ran her fingers around it. Brittany moaned as the two of them kissed passionately and pretty loudly until Brittany's cell phone rang. They realized what they were doing and Santana jumped away from her quickly.

"S-sorry." Santana stuttered out.

"I gotta go." Brittany panted out while trying to control her breathing. She quickly gathered her belongings and ran out of the door without her heels. She got to her car and sped around the corner before parking and leaning on the steering wheel. "What the hell just happened?"

Santana cleared her throat and straightened her tank top before tying her robe tightly up again. She grabbed Brittany's heels and stuck them in the back of the hall closet and flopped back on the couch. "Fuck."

Taylor, who was peeping around the corner smiled and ran back to her room. She picked up her teddy bear and sat him in her lap. "I knew my moms still loved each other, we gotta get them back together." She told the bear quietly with a big smile. "She heard her bedroom door creep open and flopped back down quickly, closing her eyes tightly.

Santana glanced in her room and blew her daughter a kiss before going to her own room and attempting to get some sleep.

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><p><strong>Thoughts?<strong>

**tumblr - talksfanfic**

**5 part mini story...can Taylor get her moms back together?**


	2. Chapter 2

Taylor stared at the cereal boxes, tapping her chin while making her seemingly life changing decision, while Brittany patiently waited behind her. She extended her little hand to a box but shook her head and snatched it back quickly.

"Tay, what about Fruit Loops?" Brittany suggested. "You like those.

"Yeah, but I get those for mami's house." Taylor told her. "We eat them together."

"Oh, that's right." Brittany nodded as her mind drifted to memories of her waking up to Santana and Taylor sitting in bed, sharing a bowl of Fruit Loops while watching cartoons on mute, so they didn't wake her up. Taylor always sat cuddled in Santana's lap and held the bowl with her mother's help, while they whispered and laughed quietly. Brittany was always awake anyways and would stare at her two favorite people in the world while they alternated feeding each other the cereal. Taylor would almost always miss Santana's mouth, leaving the older Latina will a trail of milk down her pajama top.

"Momma!" Taylor said a little louder.

Brittany shook the memory out of her head and kneeled down so she was level with her daughter. "What about Crunch Berries, that's what I would get as a kid, or even Cinnamon Toast Crunch." Brittany suggested while grabbing a box of cereal.

Taylor stared at the white box. "Does it taste like cinnamon?" She asked Brittany while staring at her.

"Cinnamon _and_ sugar." Brittany told her. "It makes the milk really sweet afterwards too." Taylor leaned back into Brittany arms and examined the box while Brittany once again patiently waited for her to make a decision and hugged her loosely, resting her chin on her daughter's shoulder.

"Can we get both so I know which one I like the best?" Taylor asked her.

"Sure." Brittany nodded and stood up to look for the box of Crunch Berries to toss in the cart. "Hop back on." She motioned to her. Taylor, who was in pink tights, a blue jean skirt, and a white, pink, and yellow striped Rugby Ralph Lauren shirt nodded and hopped on the back of the cart. "Are those the new shoes your mom bought you?" Brittany asked while noticing how her daughter's white high top Converse glittered.

"Yeah." Taylor smiled excitedly while carefully lifting her foot and staring at her shoes. "She got a matching pair too, and she bought you a matching pair, so me and you can match too."

"She got me a pair?" Brittany asked with a slight frown, but quickly masked it since Taylor was staring at her.

"Yeah I told her you needed a pair so we all have the same shoes. I think she said a naughty word in Spanish, because her face scrunched up but she asked the lady at the store for your size anyways." Taylor shrugged. "You don't like them?"

"I do, honey, they are totally cool." Brittany told her with a smile. "I just didn't expect your mom to buy me a pair of shoes, but thank you for thinking of me."

"Are we going to see her at the hospital?" Taylor asked her while holding on tighter when Brittany turned the corner in the grocery store.

"Just to grab your bag, she's working so we can't stay long, and you have to start your project tonight." Brittany told her.

"Oh yeah, I'm supposed to tell you congratulations." Taylor said quickly. "Congratulations on your new job momma." She said with a big smile.

Brittany smiled at her. "Thank you, Tay." Brittany stopped the cart and went to pick up her daughter to hug her tightly. "Who told you to tell me congrats?" She asked her when she set her back down.

"Mami told me this morning." Taylor replied while smoothing out her ponytail and running her fingers over the braid Santana put in the front of her hair.

"T-this morning?" Brittany asked as Taylor hopped back on the cart.

"Yeah, she was super happy this morning, she made pancakes!" Taylor exclaimed. "She never makes pancakes during the week before school it's always just cereal." Brittany blushed at the thought of being able to provide a smile on the Latina's face when she woke up. "She said you told her last night, wasn't it late?"

Brittany coughed and grabbed a bag of oranges as they walked through the produce section. "What exactly did your mom tell you, Taylor?" Britany asked nervously hopping Santana didn't mention her stopping by last night, although she already knew Santana would never say anything to Taylor, of all people, she wanted to be sure.

"She just said you told her last night." Taylor smiled while hopping off the cart and staring at the pomegrantes.

"Go on and grab one." Brittany laughed knowing Taylor was obsessed with them. She watched as Taylor quickly picked out two and set them back in the cart carefully, she then hopped back on the cart, but this time near the front, so she was cuddled inside of Brittany's arms. Brittany kissed the top of her head and continued through the produce department picking out different items she needed at home.

When Taylor was with Santana, Brittany was content with take out and frozen pizzas while she worked late nights, since Santana was always the cook of the house when they were married, but when they split she watched a series of Youtube videos and even took a class at the Public Market so she would be able to make Taylor more than grilled cheese and macaroni for dinner.

While they continued through the store Taylor filled Brittany in on all the _cool_ stuff she did with Santana over the past week. Brittany internally laughed knowing Taylor probably tired Santana out during the week with all the stuff she listed. Santana worked fourteen hour shifts the weeks she didn't have Taylor, so when she did have her daughter she was able to take her to school and pick her up; and with an extemely talkative and hyper daughter that didn't leave her with much time to sleep or relax.

"Anything else or are we all set for the week?" Brittany aksed her daughter while smoothing out her ponytail, as Taylor leaned back into her.

"Nope, I think we got everything." Taylor replied.

"Ok, let's check out so we can stop by the hospital." Brittany sighed wishing she could avoid Santana and reliving what happened last night.

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><p>"Dr. Lopez I've missed you."<p>

Santana smirked and leaned her head to the side as two full lips attached themselves to her neck. "I had my daughter last week, you know that." She replied softly before turning her head and catching the lips in a kiss. "You know Taylor gets all of my attention."

"So when do I get to finally meet her?"

"You don't." Santana replied while leaning the woman back on the bed in the on call room they were in.

"We've been dating for almost six months, why not?"

"Nicki, come on baby, we've discussed this." Santana pleaded while trying to end the conversation as soon as possible. She slid her hands under the woman's scrub top and palmed her breasts. "Just kiss me, you've missed me right? And my lips…" She added with a smirk. "And my tongue."

"Am I not good enough to meet her?" Nicki asked while stilling Santana's hands.

Santana sighed and sat up. "Look, Taylor is the most important person in my life, and I don't think she needs to meet someone I'm dating just yet. She's only seven, and I don't want to confuse her or anything."

Nicki ran her finger through her long dark hair and leaned back on her elbows. "You know if it weren't for the _best friend yarn bracelet_ you wear every day on your wrist with the letter T, or the thousands of pictures of her in your office I would think you made up the fact that you have a daughter." She stated while raising an eyebrow. "You even lock the door of her bedroom when I come over, like I'm going to be a creep and go through her stuff."

"I'm not ready for her to meet you. Besides, Brittany doesn't know about us, and she needs to meet you first before Taylor is around you." Santana sighed. "Please, we've been through this before. Just be patient with me."

Nicki leaned forward and kissed Santana before hugging her and pulling her to lie next to her, she connected their lips again and ran her thumb across Santana's now swollen bottom lip. "Ok."

"Thank you." Santana nodded before kissing her again. "I don't have her this week, so why don't you come over for dinner tonight, I'll cook."

"Sounds good." Nicki replied as Santana sat up and took her scrub top off while straddling her.

"I'm off at 8." Santana smiled as she leaned down and kissed her just as her pager went off. "Fuck."

"Yeah I wanted to." Nicki smirked. "You gotta go don't you?"

Santana read the page and smiled. "Yeah, Brittany is coming to pick up Taylor's bag." Santana hopped off the bed and put her top back on before tying her sneakers.

"So how are things between you two?" Nicki asked.

Santana froze and turned around quickly while fixing her ponytail. "W-why?" She stuttered out nervously as the memory of her pinning Brittany to her door last night popped in her head. She swallowed thickly while waiting for Nicki to answer.

"Because you came to work upset last week when you picked up Taylor, you said you two got in an argument." Nicki reminded her.

"Oh yeah, um, just typical divorce parent talk." Santana waved it off. "We still know how to press each other's buttons. It's fine."

Nicki's pager went off. "Shit, I gotta go." She jumped up and kissed Santana quickly. "I'll be over around 9 and I want pasta." She winked before running out of the room.

Santana laughed and sat on the bed; she buried her head in her hands and took a deep breath before standing up and checking herself in the mirror. She tossed some tic tacs in her mouth and grabbed her stethoscope before leaving the room.

"That's not a toy Taylor, put that down please." Santana heard Brittany tell Taylor as she approached her office.

"Mami!" Taylor said happily while speeding into Santana's arms.

"Hey mini me." She winked at her doctor while kissing her on the cheek. "How was school?"

"Good." Taylor nodded. "Having pancakes for breakfast helped."

Santana laughed. "Oh did it?"

"Look what you started." Brittany laughed. Santana mouthed a sorry when she made eye contact with Brittany before setting Taylor back down.

"I have her bag in the closet." Santana stated. "I washed her clothes before work, so everything is clean."

"Thanks." Brittany replied as Santana handed her the bag just as there was a knock on the door.

"Come in." Santana called while sitting down on the couch in her office watching Taylor rummage through her backpack for something.

"Hey Brittany, good to see you again." Noah smiled.

"Same here." Brittany nodded politely.

"Dr. Puck!" Taylor smiled while instantly growing shy, since she had a small crush on him.

"Little Lopez, I didn't know you were here." Noah replied while waving at her with a wink.

"Lopez-Pierce!" She snapped. "I have both of my mommies names." She added with a glare.

"Taylor." Santana and Brittany both stated before glancing at one another.

"Whoa...I see the Lopez definitely stuck with you." Noah laughed. "San, I just wanted to see if you wanted to grab lunch, but if your family is here."

"We won't be staying long, Noah." Brittany stated.

"Right." Santana quickly agreed. "Taylor has homework and a project to start if I remember correctly. T, why don't you go with Dr. Puck and see if he can find you a sucker, so I can talk to your mom for a moment."

"Cool." Taylor nodded while jumping off the couch. "You two talk." She winked at Santana before wiggling her eyebrows and making air quotes, she then grabbed Noah's hand as he led her out of the office.

"What the hell?" Brittany laughed.

"I swear I didn't teach her that or know where that came from." Santana laughed. "Um, have a seat so we can talk for a minute."

Brittany sat down and angled her body towards Santana, she watched Santana dart her eyes around the office and bite her bottom lip while beginning to wring her wrist, a sure sign she didn't know what to say. Brittany exhaled softly and placed her hands on her ex wife's to still them. Santana eyes flickered to Brittany's at the action when she felt herself relax.

"About last night." They both spit out before laughing softly.

"You first." Brittany encouraged.

"I'm sorry." Santana responded. "I shouldn't have kissed you or pinned you to the door, or hand my hand up your skirt or..."

Brittany raised her hand. "I get it. I'm sorry as well. I kind of started it with the first kiss. I'm just used to telling you everything first that I drove straight to your house without thinking."

"Don't apologize for that. You have no idea how happy I am for you, or how proud of you I am." Santana told her honestly. "Just because we aren't married anymore." She paused and glanced at her now empty left ring finger. "Doesn't mean I don't care about you."

"I feel the same way. You always believed in me, always so I wanted to share that moment with you." Brittany smiled. "I better get going." She then added when she noticed the time.

Santana stood up and nodded. "About the kiss, it was..."

"Mami I found your picture in the hallway." Taylor smiled proudly.

"You did?" Santana answered quickly as Taylor came back in the office, Brittany quickly moved her hand off of Santana's as well as discreetly moving away from her. Taylor paused and stared and them.

"Ready to go?" Brittany asked her daughter. "Get your backpack so your mom can get back to work."

Taylor nodded and allowed Santana to help her put her backpack on. "I'll miss you tonight." She told her daughter while bending down in front of her.

"I'll miss you too." Taylor responded immediately while hugging her.

Santana sighed in her hair while hugging her tightly, even though her and Brittany have been separated for three years and officially divorced for two, leaving Taylor was still hard for her, no matter how often she had to. She kissed the top of her daughters head. "I love you, baby."

"I love you too." Taylor nodded while as a habit wiping the tear that started to stream out of Santana's eye.

"Ok, be good this week." Santana told her through a sniffle. "I'll FaceTime you before bed to say good night."

"You better." Taylor playfully glared. She kissed Santana on the cheek and accepted Brittany's waiting hand.

"Bye Santana, have a good night." Brittany waved as they began to walk to the door.

"You too." Santana replied.

"Oh and about last night, it shouldn't have happened, but I don't regret it." Brittany smiled softly before leaving the office.

Taylor poked her head back in the office. "Later gator." She smiled.

"After while crocodile." Santana replied. "I don't regret it either." She said softly.

* * *

><p>"Bedtime." Brittany knocked on Taylor's door and stuck her head in.<p>

"Ok." Taylor replied from her spot on her bedroom floor where she was drawing a picture.

"Did your mom call you to say good night?" Brittany asked while picking up her iPad and checking the FaceTime log.

"Yep." Taylor crawled in her bed and waited for Brittany to pull the covers over her. Brittany picked up the picture she was drawing and carried it to her bed.

"Awesome picture." She gushed while sitting on the edge of the bed.

"It's me, you, and mami." Taylor pointed out while identifying the figures on the paper.

"You only drew one house." Brittany noted while raising her eyebrow.

"It's a castle." Taylor clarified.

"Oh."

"We all live there together, like before, but I gave you and mami separate bedrooms so when you are mad at each other you can go there instead of mami moving out." Taylor shrugged.

"Tay..." Brittany sighed. "Let's talk sweetheart." She suggested while lying in the huge canopy bed next to her daughter. "What's on your mind?"

"Why can't you and mami just live together again, we have the extra bedroom." Taylor asked.

Brittany propped herself up on her elbow and smiled when Taylor mimicked her. "We've gone over this sweetheart, me and mami can't live together anymore. I know it's hard going back and forth every week but we both love you so much that we want you around us as much as we can get." Taylor stared at her blankly. "I'm not making sense am I?" Taylor shook her head. "Ok, ummm, you want mami happy right?" A nod. "And you want me happy right?" Another nod. "So in order for us to be really happy we have to live in separate houses. When mami and I lived together we weren't very happy, and we could tell that didn't make you very happy; and your happiness is the most important thing to us."

"But I would be _happier_ if mami lived here again."

"I know you would but that wouldn't make mami and me very happy." Brittany tried to explain. "I know it's confusing but trust me, this is the best for everyone."

Taylor sighed. "Ok."

"Are you okay?" Brittany asked while trying to gauge her daughter's facial expression, but much like Santana she was able to mask her emotions at the most inopportune times.

"Yeah." Taylor nodded.

"Tay, it's hard for all of us, but this is what's best. I promise it'll get easier." Brittany tried to assure her while rubbing her side.

"Ok, I don't like it but I think I understand." Taylor told her as Brittany handed her teddy bear to her and kissed her on the forehead.

"Good night, bug." Brittany told her while kissing her on the forehead.

"Good night."

"I love you more than Popsicles." Brittany smiled.

Taylor's eyes lit up. "I love you more than cake."

"Hmmm, I love you more than chocolate cake." Brittany smirked. "_With_ chocolate frosting."

"Whoa...you win." Taylor beamed causing Brittany to laugh.

"I won when you came into the world." Brittany smiled. "Sleep tight, I'll be in the office working if you need anything."

Brittany hopped out of the bed and laid her picture on her play table, she plugged her letter T nightlight in and closed the door behind her. Taylor popped her head up and ran to the door, listening to Brittany's footsteps fade away before running back to her bed. "Okay, Mr. Woo, phase 1." She told her teddy bear before running into her ensuite and closing the door behind her.

* * *

><p><strong>1am<strong>

Santana sat at the piano in the corner of her condo and played a melody on the piano while nodding her head. A pencil in her ear while staring at the lyric sheet in front of her before she started to sing.

_How soon do we forget how we felt?_  
><em>Dealing with emotions that never left<em>  
><em>Playing with the hand that we were dealt in this game...<em>

_Maybe I'm the sinner, and you're the saint_  
><em>Gotta stop pretending what we ain't<em>  
><em>Why we pointing fingers, anyway?<em>  
><em>When we're the same<em>

She took the pencil out and scribbled more lyrics while mouthing them over and over before she started playing again and sang the words.

_Break up_  
><em>Make up<em>  
><em>Total waste of time<em>  
><em>Can we please make up our minds<em>  
><em>And stop acting like we're blind?<em>

_'Cause if the water dries up and the moon stops shining_  
><em>Stars fall, and the world goes blind,<em>  
><em>You know, I'll be savin' my love for you, for you<em>

She nodded her head and continued the melody she was playing before pausing for a sip of water, she scribbled more lyrics and sang them acapella.

_'Cause you're the best mistake I've ever made  
>But we hold on, hold on<br>There's no pot of gold in the rainbows we chase  
>But we hold on, hold on<em>

She stared at the lyrics she wrote and then glanced at her bare left hand again. She cleared her throat when a pair of arms wrapped around her neck and two lips kissed her on the neck.

"I love hearing you sing." Nicki smiled. "You should sing more, you have an amazing voice."

"It's okay." Santana shrugged. "Did I wake you? You were knocked out on the couch, so I'm assuming dinner was good?"

"Very good, and no you didn't wake me, I just noticed you weren't in my arms." Nicki told her while sitting next to her on the piano bench. "Who's the song about?"

"No one." Santana replied softly while playing the melody again.

"I'm going to bed, don't stay up too late." Nicki turned Santana's head and kissed her on the lips softly. "Good night."

Santana deepened the kiss slightly before breaking it abruptly. "Good night, I'll be in soon." Once Nicki left, Santana started playing again and sang softly to herself.

__'Cause if the water dries up and the moon stops shining  
>Stars fall, and the world goes blind, boy<br>You know, I'll be savin' my love for you, for you__

She sighed and stopped playing while staring at her left hand again. "We're done, I filed for divorce, we're done." She closed the piano and stood up quickly putting the lyric sheet in the bench before heading to bed.

* * *

><p><strong>3am<strong>

"Santana, your phone." Nicki replied while shaking the Latina awake.

Santana groaned and looked at the time before turning around quickly and grabbing her phone.

_**Hello?**_

_Santana?_

**_Brittany, what's wrong? _**

_Taylor has a really high fever, it's 101, should I take her to the ER, she says her chest hurts or can you..._

**_Im on my over there now, grab a cold compress for her head. Is she sweating?_ **She asked while jumping out of bed and looking around her room for a pair of sweats and throwing on her Uggs.

_She's not sweating but her head feels warm...wait yeah her head is sweating._

**_Ok, be there in like 10 minutes, just stay calm and keep her calm._**

_Ok, just use your key to get in._

Santana hung up her cell phone. "I gotta go Taylor is sick."

"Should I come, I mean I am a peds doctor." Nicki asked while sitting up.

"And I'm a fuckin surgeon." Santana snapped. She paused and glanced at her girlfriend. "I'm sorry, thanks for offering but no, it's not a good idea if you come, I have it handled." She then turned and ran out of the bedroom grabbing her medical bag on the way.

* * *

><p><strong>Thoughts?<strong>


	3. Chapter 3

Santana tapped the steering wheel impatiently while waiting for the red light to change when she sighed and made a call on her Bluetooth.

**_Hello?_**

_Nicki, I'm sorry. _Santana said quietly. _I shouldn't have yelled at you or cursed at you, you are a peds doctor and you offering to come even though you work in a few hours was really sweet of you; and even if it didn't seem like it, I did appreciate it._

**_Thanks, and no apology needed. That's your baby girl, you mini me, your pride and joy, it's natural and expected for you to slightly freak out when you get a call about her in the middle of the night._**

_You are so understanding, thanks for being patient with me. You know I'm trying right?_

**_I know, babe. Go check on your princess, and remember you can call me if you need a second opinion._**

_101 isn't bad I mean she's seven, so it's not too bad._

**_No, it's no too bad, you told Brittany right, try to cool her down as much as possible, if it goes any higher than yes I would advise taking her in. You got this doc. _**She added with a small chuckle.

Santana nodded and turned down the street she was all to familiar with. _Ok, thanks Nicki, I'm pulling up, get some rest babe, I don't know when I'll be home._

**_I hope she feels better. I love you._**

Santana slammed on the brakes since that was the first time Nicki has said those three words to her. _T-thanks_ She quickly hung up the phone and shook her head as she pulled into the long cobble stone driveway of the five bedroom, four bathroom house she once called home. She parked her silver BMW behind Brittany's car in the driveway and dug in her purse for the spare set of keys she still owned. She quickly got of her car and grabbed her medical bag from the front seat as she ran to the front door.

"Tay!" Santana called while kicking her boots off, out of habit so she didn't scuff the marble floors in the foyer, she reached over and flicked the switch to turn on the huge crystal chandelier, which lit up the space she was in and causing the floor beneath her sparkle. She glanced around and took in the familiar sights for a moment. She looked to her left into the family room and remembered the nights they spent as a family cuddled in front of the fireplace watching movies, and the romantic nights she shared in there with Brittany; She looked at the 'picture' wall that had numerous family pictures on the wall, mainly of Taylor. She paused when she noticed Brittany still had a picture of the two of them from the night they got engaged, hanging on the wall, they were staring at each other, huge smiles on their faces. She stared at the picture and blinked as her eyes fell on another picture of the three of them from a Christmas a few years ago. She was shocked to see that Brittany still had pictures of her in the house. She tried to remember if Brittany always had the pictures up or if they were rehung recently but couldn't remember and decided to let it go.

"We are upstairs." Brittany said while leaning over the balcony at the top of the spiral staircase.

Santana nodded and ran up the long staircase. "Hey, how is she?"

"Still burning up." Brittany said quietly as Santana walked past her and practically ran down the hall and opened Taylor's door.

"Hey princess." Santana whispered while leaning down and kissing her forehead, sighing when she felt how hot she was. "Dr Mom is here to check you out." She said softly while opening her medical bag and pulling out her stethoscope and her travel blood pressure kit.

"Hi mami." Taylor said softly while opening her eyes, which were now red.

"Hi." Santana smiled while listening to various parts of her chest. "She sounds clear B, sit up for me baby." She said while helping Taylor sit up. Taylor immediately leaned into Santana's chest and exhaled softly with a smirk, that Brittany picked up immediately and raised an eyebrow at. "Deep breaths, Tay. In and out, sweetheart." Santana listened closely as she breathed in and out before nodding and helping her lie back down. "Can you get the thermometer for me, please Brittany?"

Brittany stared at her daughter, who glanced up and noticed her mother looking at her, and quickly closed her eyes against tightly. "It hurts mami." Taylor whispered. Brittany laughed to herself and went to the bathroom to grab the thermometer.

"What hurts Taylor?" Santana asked while getting her blood pressure.

"Ummmm, my throat, my chest, and just _everything_." Taylor replied dramatically.

Santana laughed to herself at just how much her daughter reminded her of herself. Her mind went back to a few weeks after they were married when Santana got the flu.

_"Ok, I got you juice, crackers, chicken noodle soup, it's from a can because well you know." Brittany blushed. "I got cough drops, vitamin C pills, kleenex, DayQuil and Nyquil, and finally...me." _

_Santana, who was curled in a ball in the middle of the bed smiled weakly. "You're the best medicine ever." She replied before going into a coughing fit. Brittany quickly sat in bed and rubbed Santana's back. The Latina immediately molded her body into Brittany's and exhaled softly as she stroked her hair._

_"What hurts, Santana?" Brittany asked as she grabbed a tissue and wiped her nose for her._

_"Everything hurts." Santana whined._

"Sound familiar?" Brittany asked with a smile.

Santana smiled back at her. "A little." She took Taylor's temperature and raised an eyebrow at the temp but set it down. "How about you try to get some sleep, princess."

"Will you lay with me?" Taylor asked Santana while batting her eyes at her mother.

"Sure sweetheart." Santana smiled. "Brittany, I want to talk to you in a few minutes."

Brittany nodded. "I'm going to take a quick shower."

"This time of night?" Santana frowned while laying in bed while resting her arm around Taylor, as her daughter cuddled close to her and closed her eyes.

"I was working most of the night, I just came to check on her and saw she was sick." Brittany stated. "I took her temperature and saw how high it was so I called you to see if I should take her to the doctor or not."

Santana nodded. "ok."

Brittany left the room to shower so Santana rubbed Taylor's back as she drifted her sleep in her arms. "You'll be okay princess." She whispered before starting to sing.

_You are my sunshine, my only sunshine_  
><em>You make me happy when skies are grey<em>  
><em>You never know, dear, how much I love you<em>  
><em>Please don't take my sunshine away<em>

_The other night, dear, as I lay sleeping_  
><em>I dreamt I held you in my arms<em>  
><em>When I awoke, dear, I was mistaken<em>  
><em>So I hung my head, and I cried<em>

She noticed Taylor was fast asleep so she hummed softly while continuing to rub her ams and back. "Am I getting sick?" She then asked while feeling her own neck. "I'm sweating too, great." She mumbled while she slipped out of bed and moved to fluff up her pillow when she felt something hard underneath it. She carefully stuck her hand under the pillow and pulled the heating pad from underneath Taylor's head.

"No wonder she's burning up." Santana sighed. She turned it off and unplugged it before leaving her room. She went to Brittany's room and knocked, immediately feeling awkward for knocking on the door of a bedroom she once slept in for almost seven years. When she didn't get an answer she opened the door slowly. "Brittany we need to talk." She looked up and saw Brittany was naked, she stared at her body, remembering where every freckle was placed.

"Ummmm, you've seen me naked before." Brittany laughed while putting her robe on and sitting on the bed. "Do I get to see you naked now, too?" She asked while raising her eyebrow.

"What?" Santana asked as she quickly cam back to reality and cleared her throat.

"Glad you're not daydreaming anymore." Brittany replied. "You wanted to talk?"

"Yeah, let's go downstairs." Santana sighed while lifting the heating pad.

Brittany finished towel drying her hair and followed Santana down the stairs to the living room. "What's up?"

"Taylor isn't sick, she used a heating pad to make it look like she had a fever." Santana told her while waving it around. "Why is this even out where she can reach it?"

"I've had muscle spasms again so I've been using it." Brittany explained while grabbing it. "I used it almost everyday last week when she was gone, and after I picked her up from school today I must have forgot it was out. I'm sorry."

Santana walked behind Brittany and pressed exactly on the area she knew she always had trouble with and began to knead it for her. "Don't you go to your masseuse still?"

"No, no time." Brittany moaned as Santana began to work out the kinks in her back.

"Your back is really tight, make an appointment with your chiropractor and with your doctor." She added before stilling her hands. "We need to talk to Taylor about lying."

Taylor, who was at the top of the stairs swallowed thickly when she heard Santana's tone and ran back to her room quickly.

"Do you want to wake her up and talk about now?" Brittany suggested. "I know you need to get home to your girlfriend."

Santana's eyes widened. "I don't..."

"Santana you can't possibly be that arrogant to think I didn't know you were dating someone. I know you." Brittany snapped. "Has she been around Taylor?"

"Of course not." Santana snapped while looking towards the staircase. "I would never introduce her to Taylor without letting you know, and with our daughter's mouth you would have heard about it by now anyways."

"I need to meet her before Taylor does." Brittany added.

"Duh, why didn't I get the same respect when you dated Alex?" Santana questioned with a glare. "I walked in on the two of you after Taylor called me in the middle of the night to say you were crying with the door locked."

"I thought she was asleep!" Brittany yelled. "You know I didn't do that on purpose, I felt awful afterwards."

"Dammit Brittany, you should have!" She screamed in return. "I had to see you naked with another fuckin person! I threw up after that."

"Santana, you filed for divorce, I got home to your clothes gone and papers on the bed." Brittany replied while shaking her head. "I'm sorry you saw that, I swear to God I am, but _you_ divorced me."

"If you didn't want the divorce then why did you sign the papers?" Santana snapped angrily as a tear slid down her throat. "It takes two people to get a divorce don't you dare try to pin this all on me."

"You were always married to your career." Brittany shrugged through a sniffle.

"Yeah, well you were cheating on me with yours." Santana huffed. "It takes two people to get a damn divorce."

"Yes it does, and now we have a third person in the balance. Someone who's innocent in all of this." Brittany told her while sitting down in the recliner. "It's not fair to her."

"The divorce was for the best, we both know that." Santana stuttered.

"Mami?" Taylor called faintly.

Santana stood up and wiped her eyes quickly while taking a deep breath. "I'm going to check on her again and then I should leave."

"It's late, just stay in her room or the guest room, unless you have to work really early." Brittany told her while wiping her face again.

Santana nodded and jogged up the stairs. "Coming Tay."

"Was it for the best?" Brittany sighed as she watched Santana head up the stairs.

* * *

><p><strong>6am<strong>

Brittany came in the living room when she heard Santana at the piano, singing quietly to herself.

_Love don't ever mean well when you're living it alone_  
><em>And everybody knows a broken heart gonna mend on its own<em>  
><em>In life, I know anything worth having ain't easy<em>  
><em>But that don't mean that we should make things so difficult<em>

She leaned against the doorframe and listenedd to the song Santana wrote for her before she filed for divorce. Her final attempt at fixing the marriage with Brittany. Santana planned a romantic dinner in front of the fireplace so they could talk but Brittany got busy at work and came home late. Santana left the untouched dinner set up, the candles were burned down to nubs, a single rose was lying on Santana's laptop. When Brittany picked it up it was a video of Santana sitting on the couch in front of the fireplace singing the song. The next day, Santana moved out.

_I can feel the distance between us  
>Standing side by side, never felt so far apart<br>And you ain't making it better  
>When it's gone, it's gone forever<br>I was running out of love_

Brittany felt the words hit her as Santana continued to quietly sing.

_White candle  
>White candle<br>White candle  
>Don't let our love die<br>Cause I don't wanna watch us burn out  
>Don't wanna add fuel to the flame<br>Is this how love turns out?  
>Don't let our love die<br>White candle  
>White candle<br>White candle  
>Don't let our love melt away<em>

Brittany sat down next to Santana at the piano and started to sing the next verse, taking Santana by surprise.

_Ain't gonna point fingers, cause I know it takes two  
>And ain't no sense in fighting cause we got nothing to prove<br>If it's worth it to break it, didn't mean a thing at all  
>Is it too late, can we make it?<br>Light a fire in our hearts, and let it burn_

"How do you know the words?" Santana asked.

"I've watched that video of you singing over a thousand times, it's a beautiful song." Brittany said softly. "I made you a protein shake, you still drink them in the morning, right?"

Santana raised an eyebrow at her and took a sip. "Perfect as always." She smiled softly before taking another long sip and going back to singing.

_Cause I can feel the distance between us_  
><em>Standing side by side, never felt so far apart, baby,<em>  
><em>And you ain't making it better<em>  
><em>When it's gone, it's gone forever<em>  
><em>I was running out of love<em>

_White candle_  
><em>White candle<em>  
><em>White candle<em>  
><em>Don't let our love die<em>  
><em>Cause I don't wanna watch us burn out<em>  
><em>Don't wanna add fuel to the flame<em>  
><em>Is this how love turns out?<em>  
><em>Don't let our love die<em>  
><em>White candle<em>  
><em>White candle<em>  
><em>White candle<em>  
><em>Don't let our love melt away<em>

_Away, that's the story of our love oh yeah_  
><em>Just a broken heart, trying to make it back again<em>  
><em>Can we fix it baby?<em>  
><em>Can we fix it babe?<em>

"I don't really play anymore, or sing." Santana stated before taking another sip.

"Why not?"

Santana didn't answer she instead just played the melody over and over. "I've been sleeping with Nicki for about six months, we've been _official _for probably two months." She stated. "She's great, she um, she asks about Taylor all the time, she cooks, she cleans up around my place, she took me to Vegas one weekend for a _just because_ trip. She's a pediatric surgeon, she black, real smooth brown skin, brown eyes, she's a little taller than you, athletic build, shoulder length hair, it's dark brown and she just got some auburn highlights." She rattled off. "She told me she loved me this morning, and I told her thank you and hung up."

"Why didn't you tell her you loved her back?" Brittany asked nervously.

"Someone else still has my heart." Santana shrugged.

_Away, that's the story of our love oh yeah_  
><em>Just a broken heart, trying to make it back again<em>  
><em>Can we fix it baby?<em>  
><em>Can we fix it babe?<em>

"I'm sorry about last night, I shouldn't have attacked you about Nicki." Brittany told her while standing up.

"I need to get going." Santana said while covering the keys on the piano. "I don't want Taylor to know I stayed the night and confuse her. I'll come over tonight and we can talk to her after school."

"Okay." Brittany nodded. "Hey, no disrespect to Nicki, but can we have lunch today, I think we need to talk about what we are going to say to Taylor so it's united."

Santana finished her protein shake and handed the empty cup to Brittany. "Sure, 1pm okay?"

"Sounds good." Brittany agreed.

"Oh and good call on keeping that terrible hard ass bed in the guest room. I got zero sleep last night." Santana laughed.

"Well that was your idea, so your mom won't stay long, and so that Quinn won't stay over either." Brittany teased. "Came back to bite you in the ass."

"I never expected to ever sleep in the bed." Santana shrugged.

"Thanks for coming over." Brittany told her while walking her to the door.

"Anything for Taylor." Santana smiled with a small wave before leaving the house.

Brittany leaned against the door and watched Santana drive away. "Taylor! Time for school." Brittany called while running up the stairs.

* * *

><p>"You really think going to lunch with Brittany is a good idea?" Mercedes asked while sitting on the couch in Santana's office and tossing a handful of Skittles in her mouth.<p>

"We need to talk about Taylor lying to us." Santana replied while typing on her laptop.

"So that's why you aren't wearing scrubs?" Mercedes laughed.

"Fuck off." Santana smiled. "I had a meeting this morning, and I don't have any surgeries today, so I thought I would get dressed for once."

"Mmmmhmmmm." Mercedes laughed. "So what did Taylor did?"

"She faked a fever with a heating pad, Brittany called me in the middle of the night, so I drive over there at like 2 in the morning."

Mercedes fell over laughing. "Damn, that's a good one, but remind me to keep her away from my Dakota." She added. "Taylor is probably 75% you, a good 90% when she really puts her mind to it."

Santana raised an eyebrow. "She's my mini me."

"Yeah, that tricked you." Mercedes laughed. "So what's with you and Nicki, how are things going?"

"She told me she loved me." Santana said above a whisper.

"You didn't say it back did you?" Mercedes asked although she already knew the answer. She watched Santana shake her head as her pager went off. "I gotta go deliver a baby." She said happily. "Come to my office after lunch."

"Got it." Santana nodded as Nicki knocked on her office door and came in. "Hey Nicki, sorry about last night, I ended up just staying to check on Taylor."

"It's okay." Nicki smiled. "Your daughter comes first, I respect that." She leaned down to kiss Santana, slightly frowning when when Santana turned her head so she kissed the corner of her mouth. "How about lunch?"

"I have plans." Santana told her. "Raincheck?"

"Of course." Nicki replied. "I have a meeting, but I'll see you later."

* * *

><p><strong>2 hours later...<strong>

Santana rolled off of Brittany while panting to catch her breath. "Brittany..."

Brittany kissed a trail down Santana's neck before turning her ex-wife's head to kiss her again. "What did we just do?" She mumbled against Santana's lips while rubbing her back and pulling her closer.

"No talking, just kissing." Santana replied while pulling Brittany on top of her.

* * *

><p><strong>Thoughts?<strong>


	4. Chapter 4

_Santana rolled off of Brittany while panting to catch her breath. "Brittany..."_

_Brittany kissed a trail down Santana's neck before turning her ex-wife's head to kiss her again. "What did we just do?" She mumbled against Santana's lips while rubbing her back and pulling her closer._

_"No talking, just kissing." Santana replied while pulling Brittany on top of her._

_"I've missed you, baby." Brittany moaned as Santana hugged her tightly before trailing her hands down to Brittany's butt and resting them there.  
>"Santana...Santana..."<em>

"Santana are you even listening to me?" Brittany asked while waving her hand in the Latina's face with a frown.

Santana blinked and shook her head, snapping out of her daydream. "Yeah, I agree with everything you said. We need to really talk to Taylor about lying."

"What are you daydreaming about?" Brittany asked while taking a sip of her water.

Santana avoided the question. "About work."

"Seriously." Brittany deadpanned. "You will never change."

"Fuck off." Santana snapped before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. "Brittany, I don't want to argue. I want us to get through one conversation without jumping down each other's throat. Please." She added while opening her eyes.

"Sorry." Brittany nodded. "So how do you want to approach Tay?"

Santana stuck her fork in her salad harshly to pick up a few pieces of lettuce. "I think we need to really talk to her about the divorce, she's been saying she wants us back together a lot lately, and become more vocal about it. She was young when we first separated, and I think now she really understands the separation."

"How do we approach it?" Brittany asked while taking a knife and cutting her salmon in half and sliding it over to Santana's plate. "I see you staring at it." She laughed when Santana stared at her. She then reached in Santana's plate and took some of her lobster ravioli.

Santana took a sip of her water. "Who said we were sharing?" She laughed.

"Your stomach." Brittany smiled. "You can only handle five raviolis, yet you _always_ order a double portion. I'm assuming you are working super late tonight since you are leaving work to come over after I get Taylor from school, so eat the salmon."

"You care when I eat?" Santana asked while eating a forkful of the salmon.

"Yes, our daughter needs you." Brittany shrugged.

"Oh..."

"And I need you." Brittany whispered softly. "I need you alive, and healthy, and happy."

Santana's heart fluttered before her heart sped up as she locked eyes with Brittany, she got lost in the pools of blue she's loved since first noticing them. "I need you alive, and healthy, and happy too." Santana replied. "Are you happy?"

Brittany cleared her throat and ate a forkful of ravioli. "Career wise, yes."

"Personal wise?" Santana asked nervously.

"No." Brittany shrugged. "But I have my baby girl to cuddle with every other week, and when she's around life is perfect. "

Santana smiled. "I feel the same way when Taylor is around."

"Well, even though we screwed up our marriage, we managed to create something perfect from it." Brittany laughed.

"Do you regret the divorce?" Santana took a chance and asked.

"I hated you when I got home and saw your side of the closet cleaned out and the papers on the bed. Literally hated you." Brittany told her while shaking her head. "But I knew we were hanging on to something that wasn't there anymore. We went through the motions of a marriage, smiling at events, hugging when people were looking but at night you slept in one of guestrooms, and only came back to bed in the morning at 5am, before Taylor would bounce in our room. We lived the last two years of a marriage as a lie, we weren't a happy couple, so when I sat down and thought about it, it was a no brainer signing the papers. I wasn't happy, and neither were you. But now, seeing you if hard sometimes, finding out you have a girlfriend is rough, I cried when you left earlier, it made the divorce seem so real, you know?" She shrugged. "Do you regret the divorce?"

"Brittany and Santana, what a surprise?" Quinn asked while walking up to the table.

Santana rolled her eyes and put her head down while focusing on her salad. "Hey Q." Brittany beamed as Quinn kissed her on the cheek. "I love that skirt, Gucci?"

"Prada." Quinn replied casually. "Hello Santana."

"Hey." Santana replied lowly.

"Hey?" Quinn cocked her head to the side and asked. "That's all you have to say to a long time friend."

"Friend?" Santana asked while setting her fork down. "I don't see a friend, I see a low class snake that found out Brittany and I were getting a divorce and picked sides. Not only did you start to treat me like shit, but you told everyone I cheated on Brittany, when I didn't. I see a platinum blonde bitch that tried to convince Brittany to take everything we had for herself, including all of our money, you even went after my personal accounts, even though I gave Brittany the house and took the rental property. So yes, _hey_, is all I have to say to you." Santana snapped. "If I could change Taylor's name, the fuckin _Quinn_ would be gone. I didn't want to name her after you any fuckin way."

"Well." Quinn smirked. "Nice to see you as well. Brittany, I'll call you later." She added before walking away.

Brittany cleared her throat. "Sorry about that."

"Don't be." Santana sighed. "I should get back to work. I'll be at your house around six, that's when my next break is." Santana then reached in her wallet and set down a fifty dollar bill.

"This is on me." Brittany told her while picking up the money and handed it back to her ex-wife.

"Are you sure?" Santana asked.

"Positive." Brittany smiled while grazing Santana's hand and running her fingers over her tan ones. "Keep your money, I invited you, so I should pay." Brittany stood up and kissed Santana on the corner of her mouth softly. "Thanks for coming, see you later."

Santana nodded. "Yes, I regret the divorce." She stated before walking out of the restaurant.

Brittany stared at her as she walked away. "If I'm honest, I do too." She sighed when she sat back down at the table.

* * *

><p>"Are we having hamburgers?" Taylor asked while skipping into the kitchen.<p>

"Yes." Brittany nodded. "Is that okay?" She asked her daughter.

"Can we put cheese on them, that makes it a cheeseburger." Taylor stated.

Brittany laughed. "Yes, I have cheese, and bacon."

"Whoa." Taylor smiled while sitting down at the kitchen table with her coloring book.

"Your mom is coming over tonight, we need to talk." Brittany told her while patting out burgers for them.

"Talk about her moving back in?" Taylor asked with a big smile. "I'll go and throw the crap in the guest room out." She jumped out the chair to run upstairs, so Brittany quickly wiped her hands off and scooped her up.

"No, Tay, your mom isn't moving back in." Brittany told her.

Taylor sniffled and rested her head on Brittany's shoulder. "Why not?"

"What's wrong?" Santana asked while walking in the kitchen. "I hope it's okay that I let myself in."

Brittany nodded. "I knew you were coming, so it's okay."

"Mami!" Taylor screeched happily while jumping out of Brittany's arms into Santana's. "I missed you."

"I saw you this morning, mija." Santana smiled. "But I missed you too."

"We're having burgers, can you eat dinner here too?" Taylor asked.

Santana hugged her tightly and kissed her on the temple before setting her down. "That's up to your mom, I don't want to impose."

"You aren't an imposition." Brittany stated quickly. "It's just burgers, it won't take any time for me to pat one out for you, unless you want to make them?" Brittany asked.

Santana knew Brittany loved when she made burgers, so her suggestion was more of her asking Santana to cook. "I think I can handle making some burgers; let me wash my hands."

"Yes!" Taylor screamed happily while jumping up and down. "It's family cooking night."

"Go wash your hands and you can help me." Santana laughed.

Brittany then walked over to Santana and caught her off guard by hugging her. "Are you feeling better? I know you were upset when you left lunch."

Santana melted into Brittany's embrace and sighed when she smelled that Brittany was wearing the perfume she always loved on her. "I feel okay, I just...I feel betrayed by Quinn, so seeing her stresses me out." Santana replied while quickly breaking the hug when she heard Taylor singing as she skipped back in the kitchen.

"I saw that." Taylor mumbled to herself with smile.

"Ok, little one, come help me pat out a burger for myself." Santana told her. "Brittany, you're on fries."

"Got it." Brittany nodded while going to the freezer and grabbing the bag of fries out.

* * *

><p>After dinner that was filled with laughter and smiles while the three ate around the table together. Santana glanced at her watch and knew she needed to get back to work. Brittany saw her check the time and decided to speak up. "San, are you ready?" Santana nodded.<p>

"Let's go to the living room and talk for a few minutes." Santana suggested.

"Cool, I get the recliner." Taylor smiled as she ran quickly to the living room.

"Taylor, we don't tolerate lying, you know that." Santana told her softly. "Faking a temperature is serious, and you really worried both of us."

Brittany nodded. "That's right, Tay. I called your mom in the middle of the night so she could come over. She works really long shifts and has to get up early to go help all those people at the hospital. So that wasn't fair to her to have to wake up."

Santana stared at Taylor. "That's right Tay, we aren't saying that I won't come over to help you, because you know I would do any and everything in the world for you, but playing sick can be really serious."

"I needed you." Taylor whispered while glancing down briefly and wringing her wrist.

Santana wrapped her hands around her daughters and lifted them to her lips to kiss them softly. "Taylor, what's going on, honey?" She asked while glancing up at Brittany.

Taylor sniffled. "I want you and momma to live together again. I planned everything. You can have the guest room that's the closet and bring your big bed from your house, since the guest room bed hurts your back. If you and momma get mad you can just go to your room and she goes to hers so you don't have to see each other, and then we can do stuff like before. You have to come back here." Taylor started to rock side to side. "I don't want you to have a girlfriend.'

Brittany covered her mouth when she saw the tears streaming out of Taylor's eyes as Santana quickly picked her up and held her tightly. "Shhhh, take a deep breath, princess." Santana whispered in her hair while rubbing her back. "Keep taking deep breaths, sweetheart." She repeated while blinking her own tears away.

"Y-you have to c-come home." Taylor stuttered through tears.

Brittany quickly kneeled down next to Santana and placed her hand on her daughter's back, while locking eyes with Santana. Brittany reached up and wiped the Latina's tears away. "Come on Tay, stop crying, baby." Brittany said gently.

"It's not fair." Taylor sniffled.

"No, it's not fair." Santana started while rubbing Taylor's back when she finally stopped crying. "I know it's hard, so hard on you baby, but..."

"Tay, would if we planned more trips together, like the three of us, maybe to just hang out more." Brittany suggested.

"That's a good idea." Santana nodded. "We can maybe go to the zoo or to the pumpkin farm together."

"Is your girlfriend coming?" Taylor snapped before jumping off Santana's lap and running upstairs slamming her bedroom door.

Santana quickly leaned her elbows on her knees and hid her face as she started to sob quietly. "She hates me."

Brittany instinctively wrapped her arms around her and pulled her close, holding her while she cried. "No, she doesn't. She doesn't even know you have a girlfriend, she's assuming."

"I can't hurt someone else close to me, it's bad enough I ruined our relationship but I can't ruin my relationship with Taylor." Santana sniffled.

Brittany quickly turned her Santana's head to face her. "We both ruined our marriage, it's wasn't just you."

"Yeah, but I filed the papers."

"And I signed them without a fight, we both gave up." Brittany told her. "You aren't the only one to blame, so don't blame yourself."

Santana wiped her face before allowing Brittany, who grabbed a tissue from the table, to dab her eyes for her. Santana stared in Brittany's eyes and mouthed thank you before closing them and letting a shaky sigh when Brittany cupped her face and began to kiss her tears away slowly.

"I can't see you cry, it still breaks me." Brittany told her. "Go talk to Tay."

Santana nodded and closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of Brittany's soft lips roaming her face and kissing her pain away before finally opening them and nodding. Brittany kissed the corner of her mouth again. "Sorry, you have a girlfriend." She whispered and wiped the kiss away.

"She has me physically but you'll always have me emotionally and mentally." Santana replied. She then stood up and ran her fingers through her hair and jogged up to Taylor's room.

She knocked on the door and opened it slowly, she saw Taylor lying in bed, holding her teddy bear tightly, her back to the door. Santana kicked her shoes off and laid down behind her daughter, wrapping her arm around her little waist. Taylor huffed and tried to break free but Santana held her tighter.

"Your papi and abuela are still married, so I don't know what it's like to have the two main people in my life live separately. I think your momma and i are a little ill prepared on how to deal with all of this. This is a learning experience for all of us, honey, you have to try to be patient with us, ok." Santana tried to explain. "The last thing I ever want to do is hurt your feelings. I do have a girlfriend, I'm not going to lie to you about that."

Taylor tensed and turned to face Santana. "I don't want to talk about her mami. I hate her."

Santana ran her thumb across Taylor's cheek to wipe her tears away. "I understand if you don't like her, but we didn't raise you to hate anyone, Taylor."

"She's ruining everything." Taylor sniffled.

"Your mom deserves to be happy." Brittany stated from the door way. "If her having a girlfriend makes her happy, then we have to accept that."

"Me having a girlfriend won't stop me from being your mom and best friend." Santana told her.

"I don't want to talk about her." Taylor shook her head.

"I love you Tay, so much it hurts." Santana stuttered. "The last thing I want to do is hurt you, seeing you cry feels like someone is stomping on my heart."

Brittany sat on the bed behind Santana and sighed while placing her hand Santana's back, and the other on Taylor's back. "Taylor, we will do whatever we can to make this more comfy for you sweetheart, we promise."

Taylor looked up at Brittany and nodded before cuddling closer to Santana. "I don't want to share you with her."

Santana glanced at Brittany and sighed, but held her daughter tighter.

* * *

><p>After work Santana accepted Nicki's invitation for a late dinner at her house and drove straight there. Since lunch with Brittany earlier and Taylor's breakdown she'd been a ball of emotion and found herself unable to focus at work. Nicki took notice when she stopped by her office and decided to hang around her office with her. She relaxed on Santana's office couch and carefully watched her girlfriend read the same notes over and over while staring at an x-ray before finally breaking the silence the invite her to dinner. Nicki, being as understanding as she always is, ran a hot bath for Santana to relax in while she cooked a simple dinner of sauteed chicken, vegetables, and rice for them<p>

They ate in a relative silence, with Nicki trying to keep a conversation going but Santana's mind was elsewhere the entire dinner. After cleaning up the kitchen so Nicki could shower, Santana stood by the window and looked out while hugging herself.

Nicki walked in the living room and wrapped her arms around Santana, holding her tightly. "Thank you for cleaning up the kitchen for me." She stated while kissing the Latina on the temple.

"You're welcome, I mean you did cook dinner, so thank you." Santana nodded as Nicki rested her chin on Santana's shoulder.

"Want to watch a movie? I can light the fireplace." Nicki suggested.

"Nicki, babe, let's talk." Santana sighed.

"What's on your mind?" Nicki replied while patting her lap as she sat in the corner of the sectional in her condo.

Santana slowly sat on her lap and leaned on her chest while exhaling slowly. Nicki wrapped her arms around her and held her tightly, giving her all the time she needed to center herself before talking.

"You've been quiet since you got here after work, do you feel sick?" Nick asked after several minutes, she glanced down and saw Santana had her eyes closed and began to clutch tighter to her as tears came out of her eyes. "Tana..."

"You're so awesome, so, so awesome. I don't deserve you." Santana started as Nicki wiped her eyes for her. "I still love Brittany, I'm still in love with Brittany, and you love me, I mean you said it, and I couldn't say it back." Nicki closed her eyes briefly and nodded. "I'm sorry, Nicole you are a beautiful person inside and out, and you deserve someone that will truly appreciate you."

"What are you saying?" Nicki asked softly, although she already knew where the conversation was headed.

"I think we should break up." Santana sniffled.

Nicki nodded and wiped the tear that slid down her cheek. "Do you know why I fell in love with you? You are such an amazing person. You are one of the best damn surgeons in the hospital, you're knowledgeable, you're caring, you're empathetic with the patients and their families. You are an amazing friend both to me, and to Mercedes and Noah, tney talk about you with such respect and admiration. Then, even though I haven't witnessed it in person you are an amazing mother. You talk and gush about Taylor like she is a true princess. You have such a sense of pride when someone even mentions her."

Santana wiped her eyes and took a chance on locking eyes with Nicki. She immediately took her thumb and wiped her tears away while sniffling herself.

"You are an amazing person and while I do love you, and I absolutely have fallen in love with you, I always knew your heart belonged to someone else. The times you've cried in your sleep and murmured Brittany's name, or the moments I've caught you staring at a family portrait of you three. I'm lucky enough to have had you as long as I have, but I know it's time for me to let you go." Nicki finished.

"I never meant to hurt you." Santana said softly.

"I know." Nicki nodded as Santana pressed her lips to hers.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize for your heart." Nicki shook her head and sniffled while trying to blink her tears away. "I would rather Brittany get all of you for the sake of your daughter, and for the sake of your heart, than just have a piece of you, no matter how awesome and amazing that piece is."

"I should go." Santana stated while running her fingers through her hair and standing.

"Don't, stay the night with me still. You're hurting right now, I can tell. Let me hold you." Nicki replied while standing up and extending her hand to Santana. "Let's go to bed, you're upset and I don't want you driving this late."

"But I just broke up with you." Santana shook her head.

"Yes, but we are still friends, right?" Nicki quested. Santana nodded quickly while wiping her eyes. "Good, come on babe."

Nicki turned the lights off in her living room and led Santana to the bedroom, quickly lying in bed and opening her arms to her. Santana laid close to her and allowed Nicki to hold her closely. Nicki kissed her on the forehead and sighed while her own tears streamed out of her eyes.

"I'm sorry Nicki." Santana stated once more. "So sorry."

"Shhhhh." Nicki replied while holding her tightly.

* * *

><p><strong>Thoughts?<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

**Three weeks later**

Santana parked her car and walked up to the door of Brittany's house, she took a deep breath before ringing the doorbell. A few moments later the door sung open and Taylor jumped in her arms quickly. "Hey Tay." Santana smiled while hugging her daughter tightly. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah, I packed and tripled checked my bag this time." Taylor nodded while resting her head on Santana's shoulder. "So we don't have to turn around halfway to your house."

"Thank you." Santana laughed whle kissing her on the cheek and watching Taylor scratch her leg.

"Taylor, what did I say about opening the door?" Brittany stated as she came running down the stairs and saw the door open. "Oh, hey Santana."

"Hey." Santana smiled slightly. "We better get going."

"Do you want to come in for a few minutes or?" Brittany asked hoping the Latina would take her up on the offer.

Santana had been distant with her since she broke up with Nicki, a few weeks ago, outside of their coworkers, no one knew that the two parted ways. Santana kept their conversation to strictly talking about Taylor, drop offs and pick ups, nothing more, nothing less.

"No, we need to get going." Santana shook her head. "Go get your coat, Tay." She added while setting her down and watching her run upstairs, she picked up Taylor's suitcase and began walking to her car, Brittany close on her heels.

"Umm, are you okay?" Brittany asked quietly while looking over her shoulder to make sure Taylor was around. "You've been a little weird since the night of Taylor's little meltdown. about you having a girlfriend."

Santana set the suitcase in the trunk and closed it softly. "I'm fine, just been busy with work." She shrugged.

"You look exhausted." Brittany said softly while brushing a piece of hair out of Santana's face and tucking it behind her ear. Santana shook her head and took a step back.

"I'm okay." She replied as Taylor came running out with her coat unzipped and her hat in her hand.

Brittany stared at Santana but decided to drop it and focused her attention on her daughter. "Taylor, it's cold out, zip up honey. Put your mittens on." She stated while bending down and zipping up her coat for her as Santana put her hat on her head. "It's snowing, so you have to zip up."

"You don't have a coat on." Taylor pointed out while raising an eyebrow at her mother. "And I need convertible mittens they are much cooler than these and everyone in class has them."

"Yeah, go back inside, Brit." Santana told her. "You don't want to get sick. Tay, can you be _uncool_ for just a few more minutes and put them on, we can get some new convertible mittens this weekend." She smiled while opening her back door so Taylor could hop it. Santana watched her buckle her seat belt before closing the door.

"Something is bothering you." Brittany stated. "I know you, don't keep it bottled in." She added before knocking on the window and waving at Taylor, blowing her a kiss. Taylor rolled down the window and smiled.

"Bye momma."

"Bye, baby." Brittany winked before kissing her on the forehead. "I'll miss you so much."

"I'll miss you too." Taylor nodded. "You'll call to say good night?"

"Promise." Brittany nodded while holding up her pinky.

Taylor linked pinkies with her and smiled brightly, showing off her dimples and missing teeth. "Have a super safe night."

"I will, you have a super safe night and week with your mom. Love you."

"Love you too." Taylor replied before rolling up the window.

"Bye Brit." Santana waved before hopping in her car and driving away.

Brittany stood outside and watched her drive down the drive way before walking back inside the house and heading straight to her office to get some work done.

* * *

><p>"Taylor we just need to stop and get your prescription from the pharmacy then we can head home. How about a movie and cuddle night, I can light the fireplace, and you can pick, ok?" Santana suggested.<p>

"I don't need the ointment anymore." Taylor said quickly before breathing on the back seat window so it fogged up, then beginning to draw on the glass.

"Please don't do that sweetheart." Santana stated while glancing back at her. Taylor nodded and put her mitten back on quickly. "Your mom said she saw a rash forming on your left thigh this morning, she texted me when I was at work and I saw you scratching, so I called and got your preseciption refilled since I'm out at my house."

"It doesn't itch much."

"Don't scratch, Tay, that'll make it worse." Santana glanced in the rear view mirror and saw Taylor begin to pat her leg instead.

"You're a doctor, right?" Taylor asked while leaning forward so she could see her mother's face.

Santana nodded. "You know I am."

"Can't you just fix my skin and I won't get the rashes?"

"I wish I could, baby, but that's what your dermatologist is for, they specialize in that, all I can do is follow their orders." Santana told her. "Maybe we need to change detergent or fabric softner, do you still use the special soap at school?"

"Yep." Taylor nodded. "It's in my cubby, and I take it to the bathroom with me."

"Every time?" Santana asked.

"Yeah. So you fix people, just not their skin?" Taylor asked while cocking her head to the side.

"Mmmmhmmm." Santana hummed. "Well, I try I should say, I'm not always successful."

"So people die?" She asked quietly as her eyes widened.

Santana rolled her neck around slowly. "Yes, sometimes no matter how hard I try to help and fix people, I just can't. Do you remember what kind of doctor I am?"

"You fix hearts." Taylor stated proudly. "I tell people at school all the time. Alice's father is a tooth doctor, and she cried when I told her that you were a more important doctor because your heart is more important than your teeth, cuz teeth grow back, but you only get one heart."

Santana stifled her laughter. "Well, Taylor, both dentist and doctors are both important, we just specialize on different parts of the body, and not all teeth grow back. If I lose a tooth today, it wouldn't grow back."

Taylor raised her eyebrow as her little lips formed an 'O'.

"Also, it's cool to be proud of what I do, but don't tease your classmates about what their parents do, every job in the world is important." Santana reminded her.

"Even garbage men?"

"Especially garbage men." Santana nodded.

"Well, since you're a heart doctor."

"A cardiac surgeon." Santana smiled.

"Yeah, that." Taylor nodded while taking her mittens off again and unzipping her jacket a little. "You fix hearts." Santana nodded. "Can you fix momma's heart?"

Santana stopped at a yellow light, ignoring the angry drivers behind her blaring their horns at her and turned to face her daughter. "What's wrong with your momma's heart?"

"She was on the phone and she said it's in pieces." Taylor frowned. "Can't you help her?"

Santana cleared her throat. "Well, I may be the cause of the some of the pieces being broken, so I don't know if your mom would want my help."

Taylor's face quickly hardened into a scowl. "You?!"

"Yeah." Santana nodded.

"What did you do?" Taylor almost yelled through her glare.

"Tay, how about we talk about it when we get home?" Santana suggested as the light turned green and the angry driver behind her began to blow the horn.

"Fine." Taylor said harshly while crossing her arms across her pink, purple, white, and sky blue Northface jacket and turning to look out the window.

Santana sighed and pulled off from the intersection slowly. She turned up the volume on the satellite radio, which was on the Disney channel and smile when 'Let It Go' came on. She peeped at Taylor, and saw her face soften as she mouthed the words inaudibly to herself.

"Can I sing with you?" Santana asked sweetly with a smile while watching her through the rear view mirror.

Taylor looked at her mother. "If you don't sing the wrong words, this song is super important."

"I promise to sing all the right words." Santana said while holding up her pinky and leaning her hand back, she wiggled it while waiting for Taylor to latch on, which she quickly did, before she started to sing louder.

Santana exhaled before joining in, happy that Taylor took after Brittany and didn't hold many grudges. She sang along to a few more songs as Santana pulled into the parking lot of the pharmacy. She grabbed her purse and opened the door for Taylor, zipping her jacket back up and straightening her hat before helping her out of the car. "Careful, it's slippery out."

"Okay." Taylor nodded.

"We need to get some more Uno cards, since we spilled juice on our last set." Santana winked.

"You challenging me?" Taylor asked with a smirk.

"Ok, you may be too much like me." Santana laughed. "Yes, I'm challenging you. So we need to get Uno cards, your ointment, and maybe some candy."

"Twizzlers!"

"Duh." Santana smiled while grabbing her hand and walking in the store. "Now I think the toys are over this way."

"I know where it is!" Taylor said happily as she ran full speed through the store, her little purple Uggs, squeaking against the floor underneath her to the toy aisle.

Santana set her purse in the cart and sighed before grabbing it to chase after her daughter. "Taylor!" Santana yelled after her while jogging after her.

Taylor slid while turning the corner and bumping into someone, which sent her flying back into the ground. "Darn it." She snapped while grabbing her elbow and sitting up.

"Oh my God." The woman said quickly while turning around. "Are you okay sweetheart?"

Taylor scurried to her feet, fixing her pink and white tiger head hat on her head with a frown. "My mom's a doctor so she can fix me if something's broken." She nodded slowly.

"Well that's good." The woman smiled. "Are you sure you're okay, you look like you're about to cry."

"I'm okay." Taylor winced while grabbing her elbow again and trying to blink back tears.

"Taylor!" Santana yelled while looking for her daughter in the store. "She runs through the damn store because Brittany runs through the damn store." She mumbled while looking down every aisle. "Taylor!"

"Well, I'm a doctor too." The woman. "I'm a kid doctor." She smiled. "Can I take a look at your elbow."

"Stranger danger!" Taylor yelled quickly. "Mami!" She took a few steps back but froze.

Santana heard her daughter yell and ran towards her voice knocking a few people out of the way.

"No, I don't want to hurt you." The woman said quickly. "I really am a doctor." She opened her coat and showed off her Elmo print scrubs and stethoscope as Taylor backed away slowly and into someone else.

She gasped loudly and went to take off running again but Santana bent down and hugged her. "It's me, mija." She whispered to her. "You're safe." Santana then stood up slowly. "Get the fuck away from my daughter, you fuckin pedophile." She snapped while rubbing Taylor's back, when she turned in her arms, she heard the woman laugh and looked up quickly. "Nicki?"

"Hey Santana." She laughed softly. "Your little one was running and ran into me, I offered to help her but I think I scared her, sorry." Nicki added.

Santana smiled. "It's okay." She stood up, keeping her hand on Taylor's shoulder. "Taylor, this Dr. Nicole Stevens, she works with me at the hospital. Nicki, this is my daughter, Taylor."

"Call me Dr Nicki." Nicki smiled while extending her hand to Taylor. "Nice to meet you, honey. She's gorgeous Santana, even more so in person, she looks just like you."

"Thanks." Santana smiled brightly. "What do you say, Tay?"

"Thanks." Taylor replied quietly while staring at Nicki.

"She lucked out and got Brittany's eyes." Santana teased.

Taylor looked up at Santana, before shaking her hand. "So you're really a doctor?"

Nicki nodded. "But it's good that you don't trust anyone." She then looked at Santana. "Your mom taught you right."

"I have two moms." Taylor snapped before looking at Santana laughed softly. "I was supposed to kick you after I yelled _stranger danger_ and then run away, but I got too scared and forgot." Taylor said quietly. "I screwed up."

"You did great Tay." Santana assured her while squeezing her shoulders and allowing Taylor to lean back into her embrace. "You yelled loud enough for someone to hear and you were going to run but I caught you, remember?" Taylor nodded while leaning into Santana's side and frowning at how intently Nicki was staring at her mother.

"She fell pretty hard and keeps grabbing her elbow." Nicki pointed out. "I asked her if I could take a look and that's what freaked her out."

Santana looked down at Taylor. "Are you in pain?"

Taylor shrugged but kept staring at Nicki. "I've seen you before." She then stated.

"Probably at the hospital." Santana said quickly to change the subject. "Taylor are you in any pain?" She repeated.

"I just hit my elbow." Taylor told her. "Can we go home?"

"Of course." Santana nodded. "Sorry to run Nicki, see you around the hospital?"

Nicki nodded. "Sure, nice to meet you again Taylor."

"Bye." Taylor waved as Santana looked down the aisle and grabbed the cards. Nicki glanced at them with a soft smile before turning the corner and leaving the aisle.

"Don't run away from me in the store." Santana said sternly. "You have to stay with me, Tay, okay?"

"Sorry." Taylor nodded.

Santana kneeled down so was level with her and looked her in the eye. "Which elbow?"

"The left."

Santana rubbed her elbow before bending it a few times. "Does that hurt?" Taylor shook her head no. "Sure?" Taylor nodded. "I can't have you get lost in the store, or get away from me because then my heart would be in pieces like mommas, and no doctor would ever be able to fix my heart."

"I'm sorry, mami." Taylor mumbled.

"I know." Santana smiled while kissing her on the forehead. She stood back up and smiled again when Taylor quickly grabbed her hand. "Ok, let's get your prescription and some candy so we can head home, I'll put a little ice on your elbow.

* * *

><p>Santana was flipping through the channels while Taylor laid cuddled in her side fast asleep, hugging her tightly. When they got home, they made a pizza together, Taylor then took a shower so Santana could take a look at her rash and apply more ointment to a few other spots she saw on her legs and arms were that were breaking out. They then got in their pajamas and Taylor of course, picked <em>Frozen<em> to watch. Santana lit the fireplace, and after the two of them made cookies and hot chocolate they cuddled on the couch under a big blanket and watched the movie two times in a row before Taylor fell asleep.

Santana moved her daughter, who was leaning on the on the other side of the couch into her side and held her tightly.

"I don't know how to fix your mom's heart, Tay. I wish I did." Santana sighed. "The last heart I want to break is yours."

Taylor shifted and wiggled deeper in Santana's embrace as the Latina stroked her daughters hair. "Let's get you to bed." She turned the TV off and scooped up her daughter, kissing her on the forehead before carrying her to her room. She tucked her in and sat on the edge of her bed while staring at her. "I know it's hard for you to understand what's going on with your mom and me; but just know that we are sorry that it's hurting you."

She set her teddy bear under the covers next to her and quietly left the room. "Te amo, mija."

As soon as the door clicked shut, Taylor opened on eye, and looked around the room. "I'll help you fix momma's heart, and then momma can fix yours too." She then snuggled deeper in her bed and closed her eyes, falling back asleep.

Santana went back downstairs and grabbed her cellphone, she sent out a text to Mercedes right away.

**TO MERCEDES: Up for a drink? I have Tay so I can't leave, but I have wine, and really need to talk.**

Mercedes replied back right away.

**FROM MERCEDES: You're in luck, I just left the hospital, be over in a few minutes.**

* * *

><p><em>I can feel the distance between us<br>Standing side by side, never felt so far apart  
>And you ain't making it better<br>When it's gone, it's gone forever  
>I was running out of love<em>

_White candle  
>White candle<br>White candle  
>Don't let our love die<br>Cause I don't wanna watch us burn out  
>Don't wanna add fuel to the flame<br>Is this how love turns out?  
>Don't let our love die<br>White candle  
>White candle<br>White candle  
>Don't let our love melt away<em>

Brittany was lying on the floor in the family room in front of the fireplace and wiped the tears streaming down her face. She sighed as her eyes landed on a picture of her, Santana, and Taylor from the Taylor's first Christmas. They were in front of the Christmas tree, laughing at Taylor, who was more entertained by a big red bow than by any of her toys. She sniffled and began to sing along the video of Santana singing.

_Ain't gonna point fingers, cause I know it takes two_  
><em>And ain't no sense in fighting cause we got nothing to prove<em>  
><em>If it's worth it to break it, didn't mean a thing at all<em>  
><em>Is it too late, can we make it?<em>  
><em>Light a fire in our hearts, and let it burn<em>

"Nope!" Quinn sighed while walking over and turning the iPad off. "We are going out for drinks tonight."

"No thanks." Brittany replied while sitting up and running her fingers through her hair.

"Stop pining over her, it's clear she's moved on." Quinn said softly while sitting on the couch. "You said yourself she told you she had a girlfriend, one that works at the hospital. I tried to pump info out of Mercedes, but she's so loyal it's almost exhausting."

"The spare key you have is for emergencies." Brittany reminded her. "_Only_ emergencies."

"You haven't dated since she caught you and Alex having sex." Quinn stated while following Brittany to the kitchen, she watched her pour another mug of coffee and hop on the counter.

"Alex was..." Brittany shrugged. "Alex wasn't Santana. She was great, it was fun a little while, but it wasn't anything serious."

"Well, you aren't Nicki." Quinn said carefully. "She's with who she wants to be with."

"Fuck off Quinn." Brittany snapped. "Why aren't you home with your husband?"

Quinn took a step back from Brittany's outburst. "Finn is at work."

"Well, go home and wait for him." Brittany stated dryly while walking to the front door and opening it.

"Seriously?" Quinn asked.

"Good night." Brittany snapped before slamming the door behind her and going back to the family room where she turned on the video again. She laid back down and looked at the screen. "You're right San, Quinn has always has and always will be a bitch."

Brittany started the video just as her cell phone rang. She rolled her eyes and answered quickly.

_**What Quinn?**_

_It's actually Rachel._

**_Oh hey...sorry._**

_Are you crying?_

_**Santana has a girlfriend...it's really over.**_ Brittany stuttered before choking on a sob.

_I'm coming over. _Rachel said quickly. _I'm bringing hummus and carrots too._

Brittany frowned at the phone. _**Why?**_

_Comfort food. _Rachel said in a serious tone that caused Brittany to smile for a moment. _Be there soon, okay?_

Brittany wiped her eyes. _**Okay.**_

She then tossed her phone on the floor and started the video again.

_Away, that's the story of our love oh yeah  
>Just a broken heart, trying to make it back again<br>Can we fix it baby?  
>Can we fix it babe?<em>

"We can fix it." Brittany nodded before sighing. "At least, I used to think we could...but you moved on."

* * *

><p>Mercedes leaned back into the couch and stared at Santana while lifting her wine glass to her mouth. "So, you regret the divorce?"<p>

Santana nodded.

"What brought this on?" Mercedes asked.

"I never _really_ wanted a divorce." Santana shrugged.

"Bullshit, _you_ filed the papers and served her." Mercedes stated calmly.

"I expected Brittany to fight a little." Santana sighed. "I didn't think she would just sign them right away."

"You moved out!" Mercedes frowned. "Cut the bull, this is me you're talking to." Santana finished her glass and moved to grab the bottle but Mercedes took it away from her and set it not he floor. "I want you sober during this conversation."

Santana rolled her eyes and leaned back into the couch, playing with one of Taylor's mittens that was on the table, while staring at the spot on the wall above Mercedes head.

"I've never asked, out of respect, but what really happened in that marriage?" She asked. "I know Quinn believes you cheated, which I don't. So I want to hear from you, what lead up to the divorce?"

Santana took a deep breath. "Well..."

* * *

><p><strong>Thoughts?<strong>


	6. Chapter 6

"I've never asked, out of respect, but what really happened in that marriage?" She asked. "I know Quinn believes you cheated, which I don't. So I want to hear from you, what lead up to the divorce?"

"I would never cheat on Brittany, you know that." Santana snapped.

"I know." Mercedes assured her. "No one believes Quinn anyways, and Brittany gets super pissed when Quinn brings it up, FYI."

Santana took a deep breath. "Well...you know Brittany and I moved here to New York together the day after high school graduation, we had a small studio apartment that cost us a shit load of money, but we were so excited to finally be here, that we were willing to pay whatever." Santana smiled. "That apartment was a piece of shit, the heat never worked, the air never worked, we lived out of boxes because we didn't have enough room for another chest." Santana laughed softly to herself. "We slept on a fuckin twin size bed, I think I slept on top of her every night, even nights we didn't have sex, because there wasn't enough room." She laughed a little louder. "We both got jobs as waitresses, Brit obviously making more in tips than me since she's nicer."

"Yep." Mercedes agreed with a smirk.

Santana rolled her eyes and continued. "I got a second job as a bartender, which I was better at, and we started to save money like crazy until school started. I made more money than herWe both were really focused and knew what we wanted to major in, I always knew I would follow in my dad's footsteps and become a doctor, and Brittany didn't know what she wanted to do exactly, so just went into business."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah…get to the good stuff." Mercedes interrupted her. "You're stalling what caused the divorce?"

"Brittany and I started having problems right after Taylor turned three." Santana stated. "I was doing my residency so I had crazy hours, Brittany was moving up at work, life and our careers started to get in the way. We put Taylor and work before everything, and our marriage unfortunately began last on our to do list."

* * *

><p>Brittany shrugged. "Taylor <em>always<em> came first, it was like we were roommates raising a baby together." She glanced at Rachel, who was chomping on a carrot. "I remember one week was so crazy, Taylor went to daycare at the hospital, since it was free with Santana working there, I would pick her up from daycare and not even see Santana, she was always in a surgery, or with a patient, or studying for something. She didn't make an effort to see me when I came, and I didn't go out of my way to see her either."

"So you two lost the love?" Rachel asked while trying to understand Brittany's rambling.

"We never lost it." brittany shook her head. "I still love her so much, but love isn't always enough, you know? Both of our main loves became work, and that's what tore us apart."

* * *

><p>"That makes no sense." Mercedes frowned. "How isn't love enough?" She took another sip of her wine.<p>

Santana tossed Taylor's mitten back on the table. "I love Brittany more than anything, always have, but there was something missing from our marriage, something neither one of us knew how to fix, or we didn't bother fixing. We replaced what we needed with work, and that became our _love_ I guess."

"Did you two do couple's counseling before divorcing?"

Santana nodded. "Yeah, Brittany filed for legal separation and we had court ordered counseling before they would grant us a divorce."

* * *

><p>"Wait...you filed for legal separation?" Rachel asked loudly.<p>

Brittany nodded. "Like I've always said, none of you have the facts about our marriage, or why it ended or any of that. Everyone just assumes it was all Santana and that's not true or fair."

"She doesn't correct anyone." Rachel frowned. "She always takes the brunt of the blame."

"That's how she is." Brittany smiled softly. "Always protecting me at all costs, even if it hurts her in the end."

* * *

><p>"I don't care what shit you all talk about me; well aside from accusing me of cheating." Santana replied. "Divorced or not, I won't let people talk shit about Brittany."<p>

"So what was the final straw for you to serve the divorce papers." Mercedes asked.

"The arguing was causing me to lose focus at work, I didn't want Taylor in that type of negative environment. I got the papers drawn up and held on to them for like three months, hoping something changed between us...but it didn't."

"Did you try to get anything to change?" Mercedes asked.

Santana shook her head shyly. "No."

Mercedes rolled her eyes and motioned for her to continue.

"I finally did something. I planned this candlelit dinner by the fireplace, I wanted us to really talk about _us_. I sent Brittany an official invite and everything, had it hand delivered to her office, inviting her to dinner. She texted me and told me she accepted. I was excited, so I cooked dinner, and wrote her a song. I waited for hours and she never showed. So I recorded the song and left my iPad and the whole set up out for her. Taylor was with Quinn for the night, so I packed a bag and left that night after I left the divorce papers on the bed."

"Damn." Mercedes sighed.

* * *

><p>"Why didn't you show up?" Rachel asked.<p>

"Work." Brittany replied. "I wanted to finish the campaign I was working on, it was a big one for me and I wanted to impress my boss by finishing early."

Rachel frowned. "Did you let Santana know you were running late?"

"No, I didn't want to her bitch and complain." Brittany replied.

"So you left her out to dry?"

"I didn't know it would end in me coming home to divorce papers." Brittany snapped before deflating. "Sorry, I didn't expect it to affect her that much. We canceled and stood each other up before because of work, she knew I was at work. I assumed the worst would be the silent treatment for a the next couple days."

* * *

><p>"Wasn't moving out awkward?" Mercedes asked. "Wasn't it kind of sudden and drastic?"<p>

"I was sleeping in the spare bedroom anyways, only going back to the bedroom every morning so Taylor wouldn't notice, since she ran in our room every morning. It started to feel like a chore to lay next to Brittany in bed, I know she felt it too." Santana sighed. "Hugs and kisses _just because_ stopped, we would barely look at each other, only talked when it was necessary or about Taylor."

Mercedes eyes widened. "You two were still all over each other whenever we saw you."

* * *

><p>"We continued to put on an act." Brittany shrugged. "We didn't want anyone in our business, we didn't want to fully acknowledge it ourselves either. We did what we needed to, we acted lovey dove around Tay so she wouldn't get confused but the moment she was asleep, the facade was over."<p>

"Whoa, well you two deserve a freakin Oscar!" Rachel exclaimed. "Wait...you had sex at one my dinner parties like a few weeks before you announced your divorce?"

"We still pleasured each other when we knew the other really, really needed it." Brittany blushed. "I would go in the guest room and taste San when I saw her dragging after work sometimes, she would do the same for me. We didn't have sex often the last year of our marriage, but when we did it was intense, we had an argument during sex one night." She laughed. "I don't know much Spanish, but I'm sure she cussed me out."

* * *

><p>"Our sex life was amazing, even the night I cussed her out during sex." Santana laughed and snorted, quickly covering her face after it happened.<p>

"Dork." Mercedes laughed. "So you had sex and argued the whole time, about what?"

"Work, we always argued over work." Santana sighed.

"You two are more settled in your careers now, so you don't think it would work now?" Mercedes asked.

"We are still just as busy." Santana shook her head. "Brit just got a promotion to senior ad exec, I want to stay focused so I get the chief of surgery position..."

"So you think the two of you are over for good?" Mercedes asked. "I know you ended it with Nicki."

"I think it's over for good, I'll always love her but..it's over." Santana while laying her head on the arm of the couch.

Mercedes stared at her but remained silent.

* * *

><p>"She has a girlfriend now, like they've been together for months." Brittany sniffled. "It's over for good."<p>

"Are you sure?" Rachel asked while moving closer to Brittany.

"Yeah..." Brittany nodded. "She's moved on."

* * *

><p>After another glass of wine Mercedes left, so Santana cleaned up after them and headed upstairs to bed, she peeped in Taylor's room and leaned against the doorway watching her sleep.<p>

"You're staring." Taylor said suddenly as her eyes popped open.

Santana laughed. "Why are you awake?" She asked while walking in the room and sitting on Taylor's bed.

"Thinking." Taylor smiled while staring at her mom.

"About?" Santana asked while lying down and facing her daughter, rubbing her back slowly.

"All sorts of stuff." Taylor told her.

Santana smiled and kissed her on the forehead before softly knocking on Taylor's head. "Everyone in there needs to go to sleep, all the crazy and fun thoughts too." She laughed.

"Can I sleep with you?" Taylor asked sweetly.

Santana nodded. "Yeah, come on." She watched Taylor toss the covers back excitedly and jump out of bed, she reached over and grabbed her teddy bear and followed Santana to her bedroom. "Get it Tay, and no snoring." She winked at her while fluffing the pillow as Taylor climbed her bed.

Taylor waited for Santana to slide in bed before moving over and cuddling in her mother's side. "I love you mami."

"I love you too, Taylor, so much." Santana replied. "Sleep tight."

* * *

><p><strong>Saturday 6pm<strong>

Santana helped Taylor climb into the carriage, holding her hand tightly. "Careful Tay." She said softly once her daughter got settled. She then climbed in herself with the assistance of the driver. Santana set her bag down and pulled out the blanket she had folded up and spread it over her and her daughter's laps. Taylor was wearing a pair of dark denim jeans, with a pair of tan Uggs, a thick white Ralph Lauren sweater underneath her pink pea coat that was adorned in bright silver buttons and hardware. It had pleats that flared out at the bottom with fur around the hood. Her hair was in soft curls spilling out of her little white faux fur hat that had pink ear flaps, that matched her coat perfectly. "Are you warm enough?" Santana asked her while patting her little thighs. The Latina was in a matching outfit, since they took Christmas pictures for Santana's Christmas cards. She had on a red Michael Kors wool coat that had a high collar, she opted for Ugg ear muffs rather than a hat, not wanting to mess up her hair.

Taylor, who's cheeks were rosey from the cold air, nodded excitedly. "Yep, all good." She exclaimed while blowing air out of her mouth to see the steam, she raised her gloved hand and tried to catch it with a smile.

Santana winked at her and leaned forward as the driver grabbed the reins to control the horse. "Precious cargo back here, don't mess up." She whispered harshly before sitting back and wrapping her arm around Taylor, who cuddled close in her mother's arms and looked around with wide eyes at the scene around her. The freshly fallen snow covered everything in a white glow, Christmas lights, wreaths, garland, and red bows were everywhere she looked, leaving a permanent smile on her face.

The two were out for a little mami/daughter day and this was Santana's grand finale for her. They started the morning off by going to brunch with Mercedes and her daughter, Santana then took her to the mall to pick out gifts for her friends at school for Christmas. They had lunch in the mall, so Santana could finish some of her own Christmas shopping. They then took pictures before going to the arcade were Santana let Taylor play as many games as she wanted. They had dinner at a restaurant that overlooked the river where Taylor filled Santana in on her week with Brittany. Santana couldn't help but think about the last Christmas they spent as a family every time Taylor would casually mention Brittany's name. They took a walk over a little bridge in a nearby park that had reindeer out for kids to pet and feed.

"This is so cool, mami." Taylor beamed as they made their way through the streets to look at Christmas lights, the horse at a nice slow stroll.

"Glad you love it, baby girl." Santana smiled while adjusting Taylor's hat on her head so her ears were covered more. "I knew you wold enjoy this."

"I bet momma would like this too." Taylor shrugged while staring at the lights.

"I'm sure she would, she loves Christmas lights and decorations." Santana said softly. "So did you start your list for Santa?"

"Well, just the list for momma's house." Taylor stated while leaning back into Santana. "She helped me, and you can help me with the list for your house. I want to make sure Santa doesn't bring me the same gift twice, when he could give that toy to another kid. I get toys all year long anyways."

"That's very responsible of you." Santana smiled. "Look at that house, Tay, they have dancing gingerbread men."

"Whoa!" Taylor exclaimed while sitting up quickly and staring at the house with a smile. "Totally cool. They have like four of them."

"Pretty cool, and that house has some too." Santana pointed to another house, smiling adoringly at her daughter who was beyond excited. She noticed the twinkle in her eyes at every house and wished she had a house to decorate with big lawn decorations as well for her.

"Well, it'll be for your papi and abuela's house." Santana stated. "I'm going to Lima for Christmas. and I want you to come with me this year."

Taylor frowned. "What about momma?" She looked up at Santana with a frown.

"Well you know we alternate Christmas with you, honey. Last year you were with your momma all day for the holiday." Santana tried to explain.

"But won't momma be lonely on Christmas?" Taylor asked again. "Wait...were you lonely last year?"

Santana bit her bottom lip while thinking of an answer that won't ruin the night and cause Taylor to not want to go to Lima. "I missed you, but I miss you whenever you're not with me. I worked on Christmas so I wasn't lonely."

"Oh, so will momma work on Christmas so she isn't lonely?" Taylor asked.

"I don't think so, maybe she'll hang out with Aunt Quinn, or Aunt Rachel, they have big Christmas parties." Santana told her as Taylor got distracted by a house that had little lighted elves.

"Well, I do want to see abuela and my papi." Taylor thought while furrowing her eyebrows. "You sure momma won't be lonely and cry?"

"How about this." Santana replied. "If I think momma will be sad and cry, then you can stay with her."

"Can she come?" Taylor asked with a smile. "She likes Lima, and Poppa and Gam Gam are there."

"Umm, maybe but let me talk to her about that." Santana replied. "You just worry about making sure Santa knows exactly what you want."

"Okay, we can see him tomorrow?"

"Yeah, we'll go tomorrow to see him." Santana nodded. "Look at that house!" She said excitedly to Taylor who leaned further into her and stared in awe at the house.

* * *

><p><strong>Midnight<strong>

Brittany was eating a bowl of popcorn watching a movie in front of the fireplace when she saw headlights flash in the living room, an indication someone was in her driveway. She paused the TV and went to the window, her heart sped up when she saw it was Santana's car. She watched her lift Taylor out of the car and trudge through the quickly accumulating snow slowly, making sure she didn't fall. Brittany ran to the door and opened it quickly.

"Is she hurt?" She asked immediately when Santana got close.

"No, no." Santana whispered. "She's asleep. The roads are really bad, we were out looking at Christmas lights then we went to Mercedes' house. She fell asleep in the car, but I don't feel comfortable driving in this weather with her, so I came to drop her off since she's asleep. Is that okay, shit do you have company or something or do you work in the morning?"

Brittany reached out to grab Taylor. "Of course it's okay, if it's that bad, I don't want you driving either. Come in inside."

"I'm fine Brit." Santana shook her head. "I just don't want to risk an accident with Tay with me. I slid a few times and it spooked me."

"I don't want you driving in this at all either. Come in." Brittany said softly but sternly.

Santana nodded and hit the remote to lock her car before walking in the house and taking her boots off.

"I'll carry her to bed." Brittany told her. "The guest room is all set up, some of your clothes are still there in the closet from when you house sat for me."

"Thanks." Santana nodded. "Do you mind if I take a shower, I'm freezing, I had to change a flat tire."

"Oh God." Brittany front. "Why didn't you call AAA?"

"It takes them forever and I know how to change a tire." Santana shrugged while following Brittany up the stairs.

"Yeah, take a shower. I have some warm pajamas and new undergarments you can put on." She nodded as Santana turned down the hall a different direction of Taylor's room.

After getting Taylor in pajamas and in bed, Brittany walked down to the guest room with clothes for Santana and knocked on the door, when she didn't get an answer and instead heard Santana singing softly in the shower, she sat on the bed and listened for a few minutes. Brittany started to day dream, lost in memories of when they first moved to New York and Santana would wake up early for school and sing in the shower every morning.

"Brittany?" Santana cleared her throat as she walked back in the room in her towel.

"Oh sorry." Brittany blushed while standing up quickly, trying not to stare at her ex-wfie standing in a towel in front of her dripping wet. "Here's some clothes. I'm going to clean up downstairs and then head to bed, make yourself at home, I mean it once was." She laughed nervously before quickly leaving the room

Santana raised an eyebrow and laughed when Brittany let the room quickly. "I still got it." She smirked to herself before drying off and changing.

Brittany put out the fire and cleaned up after self before she went to back upstairs. She stood outside the guestroom and debating knocking but shook her head and went to her room, she was already in her pajamas so she climbed in bed and stared out the window at the snow that was still falling. She was closing her eyes when she heard her bedroom door open, she sat up and saw Santana standing in front of her, dressed in the flannel pajama pants and shirt she gave her.

"I just wanted to say thanks for letting me stay tonight, I could have gone home, but I really appreciate it." Santana rambled.

"You're welcome." Brittany sat up so she was leaning back on her elbows. "I don't want you driving either, if the roads aren't safe enough for Tay, they aren't safe enough for you to get back to Manhattan."

Santana nodded. "Well good night."

"Wait..." Brittany said softly causing Santana to turn around. "Umm, the guest room bed hurts your back. You can sleep in here."

"Brit..." Santana gasped. "I..."

Brittany stood up and walked over to Santana and grabbed her hand. "Please, I can go sleep in the guestroom or with Tay, if it's uncomfortable for you."

"You know with your back, you can't." Santana told her. "No funny business." She teased nervously while walking towards the bed. "Wait...in case Tay comes in here." She ran back and locked the bedroom door. "I don't want to..."

"Confuse her." Brittany finished for her. "I know."

Santana slid in bed and faced Brittany, keeping a good distance between the two of them. They stared at each other in silence, laying as still as possible, their eyes locked in an intense stare. Brittany leaned forward a little and Santana felt her breath hitch because she thought Brittany was going to kiss her when she was only wiggling to get comfortable.

"Will you girlfriend freak out about this?" Brittany asked finally breaking the silence.

"I don't have a girlfriend." Santana replied. "We broke up."

"I'm sorry." Brittany frowned. "That has to be hard before the holiday, are you okay?"

"Laying here with you makes up for it." Santana whispered. "Brittany...I...I miss you." She admitted.

Brittany smiled softly. "I miss you too." She sniffled before leaning forward and pressing her lips to Santana's. Santana was taken off guard and froze causing Brittany to tense and break the kiss. "Sorry."

"No." Santana shook her head and leaned forward to kiss Brittany again, her hand went up to Brittany's hair. "Don't apologize for kissing me, ever."

Brittany nodded and deepened the kiss as she slowly rolled on top of Santana and moaned softly when she felt Santana's hand slip under her shirt and rest on her lower back, setting her skin on fire immediately. Santana exhaled shakily as Brittany began to kiss down her neck with hot open mouth kisses. She stuck her fingers in the waistband of Brittany's pajama bottoms and slid them down, resting her hands on her butt and squeezing softly.

Brittany kissed back up her neck and stared deep in her eyes, she felt Santana rubbing her butt and bit her bottom lip, she reached down between them and pulled down Santana's pajama pants and waited for her to kick them off as she kicked her own off. She kept her eyes locked on Santana's searching for an flicker of doubt or remorse as she spread her legs and lifted one of the Latina's slightly and leaned down so their cores were touching, Santana's eyes slammed shut as she squeaked and shuddered in pleasure when Brittany began to rock slowly into her. Santana opened her eyes, when she felt wetness drip on her face, she saw Brittany had a few tears coming out of her eyes and pulled her down to kiss her, releasing her own tears when she closed her eyes.

* * *

><p><strong>Thoughts?<strong>


	7. Chapter 7

Brittany continued to slowly roll into Santana, their lips ghosting one another's, their eyes still in an intense lock; the only sound in the room came from the soft creak of the bed, their slightly labored breaths, and the sound of pale and tan skin softly slapping together. Brittany had her elbows on either side of Santana's head, idly playing in her hair; while the Latina held Brittany's hips tightly, squeezing hard enough to leave red fingerprints.

"Feel okay?" Brittany whispered, noticing that Santana was unusually quiet during their session, not even a moan had escaped her lips yet.

"Kiss me, please." Santana whispered while nodding. Brittany didn't reply and leaned down to press their lips together again, she felt Santana deepened the kiss and start to move her hands up and down her sides before hugging her tightly and exhaling into the kiss. Brittany repositioned them, so their bodies were angled slightly, she glanced at Santana to make sure she was okay with the position; Santana placed her left hand on the small of Brittany's back and began to rub slowly, letting her fingers trail down to her butt for a moment before gliding back up to her back in afluid circular motion. Brittany lifted her ex-wife's tan leg again and peppered kisses down her calf before she set it on her shoulder and began to roll into Santana again, moaning and grunting quietly to herself, not wanting to break the stillness of the room.

Santana moaned and bit her bottom lip quickly to keep anymore sound from coming out of her mouth as Brittany continue to hit her perfectly, still remembering how her ex wife liked sex. She rememberd all the little things she knew Santana enjoyed, all the slight position changes, and the rhthym she liked the best. Santana kept her left hand on Brittany's butt, rubbing there, while lifting her right hand to cup Brittany's cheek and turn her to face her. Brittany did and locked eyes with her again, searching deep in the brown orbs she fell in love with at the age of sixteen, for some kind of clue as to how they ended up in this position. Brittany leaned forward and kissed Santana on the nose, smiling when the Latina quickly blushed and nudged Brittany with her nose back while smacking her softly on butt.

Brittany picked up the rhythm when she felt Santana start to rock up into her, craving more friction. Santana continue to stifle her moans, while lifting a pillow to Brittany's mouth so she could bite it, and not scream.

"It feels good, trust me, I know I'm, _oh God_, quiet but it's because I don't want to, _mmmmm, _wake Tay." Santana managed to get out.

"Okay." Brittany nodded. "I'm close."

Santana slid from under Brittany and sat up. "Come here." She opened her arms as Brittany moved to the middle of the bed and straddled her. Santana repositioned them so her right leg was on top and they were intertwined by the waist; she slid forward until their cores were touching. Santana immediately felt Brittany throbbing against her and lifted Brittany's shirt off of her, tossing it on the floor. She stared at her chest before lifting her hands slowly and grabbing her breasts, she placed soft kisses around them before staring at Brittany again and kissing her chastely on the lips.

Brittany then took Santana's top off and stared at her breasts, she leaned forward and took a nipple in her mouth, licking around it, she then blew on the wetness, causing Santana to shudder and whimper. She cupped Santana's face with her hands and peppered kisses to her full, now swollen lips. They then automatically reached for one another and hugged tightly with one arm while bracing themselves with the other behind them on the bed and began to grind into one another.

"Beeee." Santana breathed heavily while hiding her face in Brittany's neck. "Oh God!" She cried a little louder. "Oh God!"

Brittany felt the wetness of Santana's tears start to coat her neck as the Latina wrapped her other arm around Brittany's neck and clutched tightly to her, still grinding as best as she could. Brittany heard the emotion in Santana's cries of pleasure and couldn't control her tears that started again. "Oh God!" Santana screamed into Brittany's neck before she choked on a sob and began to rock harder into Brittany, nearly knocking her over.

"Sanny." Brittany moaned when she felt Santana burst and climax, her body tensed as she screamed in Brittany's neck, her body starting trembling with after shocks from the orgasm and with sobs she couldn't control anymore. Brittany thrusted hard into Santana one final before feeling two slender fingers slide between them and press on her clit at the perfect angle, she gasped and shook as she climaxed. "Stars!" She all but screamed while holding Santana tightly as well.

They sat in the middle of Brittany's queen sized bed, straddling and still intertwined, hugging tightly, scared to let the other go; again.

After several minutes Santana finally lifted her head from Brittany's shoulder and stared at her ex-wife. A wave of emotion covering her when she looked into Brittany's eyes, she shook her head as more tears streamed down her face. Brittany kept one arm firmly wrapped around her and used the other to wipe her tears away with her thumb, while sniffling herself. Santana lifted Brittany's chin and pushed their lips together, not moving them at all, just wanting to feel Brittany's lips on hers. They stayed in a chaste kiss for what felt like hours to them before Brittany started to move her lips agains the plump ones on hers, Sanana immediately responded and began to kiss her back while they moved their hands up and down each other's backs, which were now slick with light sheens of sweat.

When the kiss finally broke Brittany rubbed Santana's thighs and wiped the sweat from her forehead. "Do you want to try to get some sleep?"

Santana nodded. "Can I still sleep in here with you?"

"I don't want you to leave." Brittany stated quickly whie nodding. "Don't leave."

Santana shuffled back to the head of the bed with Brittany, the two laid down facing each other, looking in the others eyes. Santana was the first to wiggle closer to Brittany and rest her hand on her hip. "I know we need to talk about this." She motioned down their bodies. "But for right now, can we just _be_, and hold each other?"

"Of course." Brittany told her, she leaned forward and kissed her softly on the forehead before wrapping her arm around Santana, inhaling her scent, a scent she missed on her pillows, and filling the bathroom after hot shower, the scent she would crave in college while waiting for Santana to get home from class, the scent she washed away when she threw out the sheets and comforter Santana left the divorce papers on.

* * *

><p><strong>7am<strong>

Taylor stretched as she started to wake up and wiggled around in her bed. "I hope mami makes waffles." She smiled while reaching for her teddy bear, and noticing he wasn't in bed with her. She finally opened her eyes and blinked slowly when she realized she was in her room at Brittany's house, and not at Santana's. She scrunched her nose up as she sat up slowly and rubbed her eyes making sure she was fully awake. She took in the bright color walls, the pictures of ballerinas that covered one wall, and the pictures of her and Brittany lined another wall; them at the water park from a trip this summer, another picture of them when Brittany took her to see Lion King on Broadway, one from the school play where Taylor played a swan in the Ugly Duckling play her class put on, and a final picture of her, Brittany, and Santana at her birthday party.

"I'm not s'posed to be here." She frowned. "I'm s'posed to be with mami." She lifted her covers and saw she was in her candy cane pajamas, the ones she only wore at Brittany's house and shook her head. "I'm s'posed to be with mami right now. I was with her last night in the car." She then gasped loudly and covered her mouth."Where's mami?" She jumped out of bed and froze as she began to panic while wringing her wrist. "W-where's mami?"

"The car spun and mami yelled in S-spanish." She remembered as tears pooled in her eyes. She she blinked quickly as she rememberd going in and out of sleep in the car, waking up slightly everytime the car slid in the snow and Santana would glance back at her, while swearing under her breath. "D-did we c-crash?" She blinked slowly and opened the flood gates as tears began to stream out of her eyes. "Momma!" She cried while running out of her room and down the hall to Brittany's room. She tried to open the door but noticed it was locked and began to cry harder.

"Momma!" She cried while banging on the door a few more times while crying harder.

Santana jumped when she heard the banging on the bedroom door and opened her eyes; she was cuddled in Brittany's arms, both still completely naked. Brittany was holding her tightly, with Santana's head nestled under hers. Brittany flinched when she did and slowly opened her eyes; they focused on Santana's that were gazing up at her now. She smiled softly and kissed the top of her head before kissing her forehead, and finally landing soflty on her lips while Santana rubbed her back slowly; momentarily in bliss from waking up in each other's arms for the first time in years. Santana nestled back in Brittany's embrace until the knocking started again followed by their daughter's frantic cries.

"Momma! Mami is gone, she's missing!" Taylor cried. "You gotta find her."

"Shit." Santana jumped up and stared at Brittany, who was already half way out of bed and looking for her robe to put on. Santana jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom with her clothes that were on the floor as Brittany ran to the door and opened it quickly.

"Calm down, Tay." Brittany told her while bending down and hugging her. "Calm down, sweetheart."

"I'm not s'posed to be here." Taylor shook her head. "I was with Mami and the car slid and now I'm here."

Santana listened from the other side of the door and closed her eyes tightly from the pain she heard in her daughter's voice.

"Your mami is okay." Brittany told her. "She's okay, she's in the guestroom asleep, she brought you here because of the snow last night. It was super slippery and she didn't want to get in an accident with her best friend. I invited her to stay as well, she's safe. I promise you."

Taylor latched on to Brittany and continued to hug her tightly while Brittany rubbed her back and sat on the floor, pulling Taylor in her lap. "Promise?"

"I promise she's okay." Brittany tried to assure her again. "You have to calm down sweetheart."

Taylor sniffled and nodded while wiping her nose on Brittany's robe, causing her to laugh slightly since it reminded her of the times a very sick Santana would do the same thing to her. "I was scared when I woke up here."

"I bet, but your mami didn't mean to scare you, she just wanted you to safe and sound in all the snow." Brittany stated. "That's all baby, I carried you to bed and put you in your pjs, I'm sorry for not waking you up and letting you know where you were. We didn't mean to scare or upset you."

"Okay." Taylor sighed as Brittany rubbed her back.

"Why don't you go wash your face and brush your teeth and then we can make some breakfast, I'm sure that'll wake up your mami." Brittany suggested.

"She likes waffles." Taylor sniffled again.

"I think I remember that she likes waffles." Brittany smiled while standing up. "Go get cleaned up sweetheart."

"Okay." Taylor wiped her eyes harshly but stopped when Brittany grabbed her arm and wiped her tears away softly for her she watched her walk out of the room and down the hall to her own room, closing the door behind her.

"It's clear, but you have like five minutes before she decides to just go wake you up herself." Brittany told Santana while running to the bathroom door.

Santana opened the door slowly, now fully dressed. "Thanks for covering for me, I didn't expect her to freak out like that."

"That was different." Brittany nodded.

"I like blueberry waffles." Santana winked before kissing Brittany on the cheek and running out of the room quickly.

* * *

><p>"Good morning." Santana said softly while walking in the kitchen where Brittany was making waffle batter with Taylor. She was freshly showered and wearing one of Brittany's long sleeve black NYU tshirts, and a pair of yoga pants, her hair in a high bun on her head, and her glasses on. "I borrowed some of your clothes Brittany, just to lounge in, I hope it's okay."<p>

Brittany glanced up at her and felt her heart melt at how cute Santana looked drowning in her clothes, that were clearly too big and long for her. "Perfectly okay." She nodded when they locked eyes. Santana tried to hide the huge smile on her face but couldn't control it.

"Mami!" Taylor jumped off the step stool she was standing on and ran towards her, jumping in her arms. "I thought something really bad happened to you."

"I'm okay, Tay." Santana assured her. "I just wanted you safe last night, and your momma's house is closer to Aunt Cedes than our house is. Remember all the sliding we did in the snow last night?" Taylor nodded and rested her head on Santana's shoulder. "I didn't want to get in an accident with you, so sorry for scaring you."

"Okay." Taylor nodded while squeezing Santana again and jumping back down. "Does your back hurt?" She then asked her while walking back over to Brittany and stirring the batter again.

"Why would my back hurt?" Santana asked as Brittany handed her a protein shake with a shy smile. "Thanks baby, I mean Brittany." She rambled quickly while taking a drink to stop herself from putting her foot deeper in her mouth.

Brittany took notice and blushed, turning a bright shade of red while Taylor stared between the two of them, narrowing her eyes slightly before smiling brightly and returning to her batter.

"Because the guestroom bed always hurts your back, that's what you said before." Taylor stated matter of factly.

"Oh, I slept very, very good." Santana smiled while taking another drink and glancing at Brittany.

"Even in the guestroom?" Taylor frowned. "But you said before that…"

"I know baby, but I slept good last night." Santana said quickly while cutting her off and walking over to kiss her on the forehead. "Let's be thankful for that because we means we can do a ton of fun stuff today."

"With momma?" Taylor asked. "Or do you work?" She then asked Brittany quietly.

Brittany stared at Santana briefly before looking back at Taylor, who was fluttering her long eyelashes and her big blue eyes at her, slightly pouting. "Well…"

* * *

><p>"Why do I still have to go to piano lessons, I thought we were seeing Santa?" Taylor asked while buckling her seat belt. "You said we were doing fun stuff." She pouted.<p>

"Because practice makes perfect." Santana told her while glancing in the back seat and watching her buckle up. "I got good at the piano because I went to my practices, baby."

"Fine." Taylor shrugged while staring out the window of Santana's car as Brittany locked her front door and checked the mailbox. "So momma is going to hang out with us all day?" She asked excitedly with a big smile.

Santana nodded and looked over her sunglasses at her ex-wife. "Yeah." She stared at Brittany's outfit, skinny jeans, black Uggs, and a black Northface coat. She had on a black head band to cover her ears, her hair in loose curls down her back. "All day." She added as Brittany made her way to the car.

"It's freezing out." Brittany stated as she got in the car and rubbed her hands together. "Thanks for helping me shovel this morning."

"You're welcome." Santana nodded. "You need to get the snowblower fixed." She mumbled causing Brittany to laugh, knowing Santana was still upset that she tipped over backwards while trying to lift a ton of snow on her shovel.

"It's on my to do list." Brittany told her. "Ready for you lesson?" She asked Taylor over her shoulder.

"Yep, practice makes perfect." Taylor mimicked Santana, causing her to smile proudly.

"Do you want to get a coffee and talk while we wait for Tay?" Santana asked as they walked back out of the small building Taylor's lessons were held in.

"Yeah, that sounds good." Brittany agreed while nodding towards the Starbucks across the street.

Once they entered Brittany ordered their drinks, causing Santana to blush at how she still remembered how she took her latte. "Mind if we walk through the park over there?" Santana pointed out the window.

"Sure." Brittany followed her out the door and across the street to the little park. They walked side by side in silence for a while. "This is where you proposed." Brittany looked around and noticed when they stopped walking. She stared at the bench over by the small pond and smiled softly.

"We weren't ready to get married, B." Santana said quietly. "We both know we weren't." She added while looking up at her. "We weren't ready for Taylor either."

Brittany let out a shaky breath. "I know, but we aren't bad mothers. We were bad wives but we aren't bad mothers."

"No we aren't bad mothers." Santana agreed, she took a long sip of her coffee and looked out at the frozen pond. "What made you file for legal separation?" Why didn't I make you happy? What did I do wrong?" She asked.

Brittany finally tore her eyes away from the pond and looked in Santana's brown ones that were soft and sad. "It wasn't one specific thing, and our marriage didn't fail only because of you, we both fucked it up." Brittany took a sip of her own coffee and cleared her throat. "We were young and smitten with each other, highscool and college sweethearts, each other's most serious relationship, we were all we knew, and we tried to force a life together instead of letting it happen naturally."

Santana hummed in agreement. "It was good at first, we were so in love, inseparable." She chuckled.

"I needed and wanted my Santana fix constantly." Brittany replied through a toothy smile. "You were all I thought about, we were such newlyweds."

"Always showing off our rings." Santana laughed. "Always posing with them in pictures."

"I filed for legal separation because our arguing got bad, so bad Santana." Brittany told her. "We argued about everything, I remember us having a huge fight one night over salad dressing." She shook her head and sighed. "Fuckin salad dressing, Santana, we created an environment that we both hated being in. You would come home from the hospital and play with Taylor until she fell asleep before going to the office the rest of the night."

"You didn't greet me when I came home anymore, I didn't know if you wanted to talk to me or?" Santana kicked some snow from in front of her. "I felt like I was in the marriage by myself." Brittany frowned but listened. "I would get these achievements at work and would be super excited to you but when I got home, and you were…" Her voice trailed off. "Forget it."

"This is the problem we have now and had when we were married." Brittany shrugged. "Communication."

Santana knew she was right and sighed. "Sometimes I felt like you didn't give a damn about my job, I would kick ass in a surgery and want to tell you about it, but it would turn into you bragging about one of your campaigns."

Brittany took another sip of her coffee. "I'm sorry. I never wanted you to feel that way. You never asked me about work, ever, so I tried to just talk about it when i could."

"I felt like you didn't care about my job, so I stopped caring about yours, out of spite." Santana admitted.

"I knew you stopped caring so I focused more on it." Brittany told her while brushing some hair out of Santana's face. "To spite you."

Santana rolled her eyes before laughing softly. "So our marriage was based on spite, because I did the same thing."

Brittany raised an eyebrow at her. "Petty."

"Very." Santana agreed. "You weren't a bad wife." She added. "I turned you into one being selfish, and I'm sorry for that."

"I did the same to you." Brittany told her. "Why has this talk taken us 2 years?"

"3 years." Santana corrected. "And I don't know, honestly I thought everything would fix itself. I assumed that our marriage would fix itself and it didn't, and I'm stupid for not trying harder."

"You know I don't like the word stupid." Brittany sighed. "You're not stupid, I had the same theory." She sat down on the bench and patted her lap to Santana, who raised an eyebrow at her but sat down. "Do you think if we would have had this talk back then we would still be married. "

Santana tapped the side of her cup. "I don't know, it's hard to say. I _will_ say that I regret the way I left, I shouldn't have left the divorce papers on the bed and moved out while you were gone. You deserve better than that. I'm really sorry for that, it was a shitty way to do things."

"I should have called you and told you I was working late that night." Brittany added.

"What?" Santana frowned.

"I was working late to finish a campaign." Brittany repeated while taking a sip of her coffee.

Santana stood up quickly and narrowed her eyes at Brittany. "Are you fuckin kidding me? Why didn't you tell me you were at work?"

"Where else would I have been?" Brittany asked her.

"Hell, I don't know!" Santana snapped. "I thought you just didn't show up!"

"Why are you yelling?" Brittany asked.

"Because it's bullshit to find out 2 years later that you were working, dammit Brittany if you would have told me I would have waited until the morning or something to talk." Santana glared at her. "I wouldn't have moved out that night."

"Patience was never your strong point." Brittany rolled her eyes. "Santana you never bothered to ask why I didn't come home, and clearly you wanted the divorce since you had papers drawn up already anyways." Brittany set her coffee down and walked closer to her.

Santana rolled her eyes. "I guess you're right." She took a sip of her coffee and took a step closer to Brittany, who cupped her elbow and rubbed there. "I'm sorry for how things ended between us, and for the divorce...I'm just sorry, Brittany." She stared deep in Brittany's eyes. "I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry too." Brittany told her while cupping her cheek before running her knuckles over the tan cheeks tinged with pink from the cold. "We're both sorry, let's put it in the past."

Santana nodded and leaned her face into Brittany's open palm. She stood on her tip toes and kissed Brittany chastely. "In the past."

"So last night?" Brittany smiled shyly as Santana set her coffee down, she waited for her to stand back and rested her hands on her hips. "Any regrets?"

"Making love to you is never a regret." Santana told her. "Ever."

"Making love?" Brittany whispered.

"I know you felt that was more than just sex." Santana stated while linking her hands behind Brittany's neck. "I told you that you'll always have my heart."

"What are you saying?" Brittany asked just as Santana's phone went off.

Santana reached in her pocket. "Shit it's been an hour, let's go get Tay. We'll talk more about this later."

Brittany nodded and hugged her tightly. "I just needed to hug you right now."

"I feel the same way." Santana told her. "And I need to do this." She pulled Brittany into a deep kiss, moaning softly before breaking it. "Was that okay?"

"Yeah."

* * *

><p>"Your teacher wants you to practice more, so tonight before bed I'll work with you." Santana stated as she opened the door for Taylor to climb in the car.<p>

"Okay, at momma's house?" She smiled brightly.

"No, at my condo." Santana told her while getting in the driver seat and glancing at Brittany.

"Oh...I thought we were spending the day together?" Taylor asked sadly.

"We are Tay, all day, but you are with your mom this week honey, so you're going back to her place tonight for bed." Brittany explained. "You have me all day up until then."

"What about work?" Santana whispered.

"It can wait." Brittany replied.

"Did you tell momma about our trip, she's not sad about it right?" Taylor asked as Santana pulled off and headed down the street.

"What trip and why would I be sad?" Brittany asked.

"Me and mami are going to Lima for Christmas." Taylor said excitedly.

Brittany snapped her head to glare at Santana. "You aren't taking her out of the state for Christmas."

Santana sighed. "No, Tay, I didn't get a chance to talk to momma about that." She glanced at Brittany who was glaring at her.

"We have an arrangement that we run trips by each other, and Christmas is a no. I want to see my daughter on the holiday, especially Christmas." Brittany snapped lowly while turning up the radio so Taylor wouldn't hear them argue.

"This is my year with her." Santana whispered harshly through a smile, as Taylor danced in the back seat and sang along to the music.

Brittany fake laughed and glanced at her daughter. "The answer is no."

"I didn't see her last year on Christmas." Santana reminded her. "You also don't control where I take her."

"You chose to work." Brittany shook her head.

"I'm not arguing about this." Santana stated. "I can't help if people need surgery, the hospital isn't a nine to five job with weekends and major holidays off. I'll give up next two weekends, I want to take Taylor with me."

Brittany crossed her arms and looked out the window angrily.

* * *

><p><strong>Thoughts?<strong>


	8. Chapter 8

Santana walked slowly behind Brittany and Taylor, who were skipping happily, as the three of them made their way to the ice skating rink. The remainder of the car ride was more than tense with Brittany choosing not to speak and simply staring out the window, while Santana ate her mother's words _Santanita, I hope you have a daughter with a mouth like yours, that way you can see how much you should watch what you say_, and thought of how to approach the conversation with Brittany. Taylor, who sang along to every song on the radio, busied herself by staring at the Santa Tracker app on her iPad mini. Santana would glance at Brittany whenever they reached a stop light, but the blonde never turned her head to make eye contact, she only spoke when Taylor would ask her a question. The first stop on their day, since Taylor got to pick everything, was to ice skate.

"I'll rent some skates for everyone." Santana stated as she finally stood next to them. "How thick are your socks, Brittany?"

"Why?" Brittany asked while adjusting Taylor's hat and looking at her.

"Because if you have on thick socks I need to get you a bigger size so your left ankle don't have too much pressure." Santana stated.

Brittany's eyes softened at Santana remembering something so small. "No they aren't thick."

"Okay." Santana nodded before making her way over to the stand to get their skates.

"Can I skate first with you and mami, then byself with the other kids?" Taylor asked.

"Are you sure you can skate by yourself?" Brittany asked her softly.

Taylor nodded quickly. "Yeah, I'm good at skating." She stated confidently.

"If your mom says it's okay, then it is, but you have to stay where we can see you, don't leave the ice for any reason without one of us, and remember stranger danger." Brittany told her. "It's a lot of people out today, sweetie."

"I know, I used stranger danger in the store with mami, but it was just her doctor friend." Taylor shrugged. "But mami said I did it right and she was proud of me, but I still got a little scared because I didn't know the person and they started talking to me, but mami wasn't around, _but_ it was my fault for running away from mami in the store. I said sorry." She rattled off before taking a deep breath.

"Dr. Puck?" Brittany asked while raising an eyebrow.

"No, she was a lady." Taylor stated while scratching her leg, stopping only when Brittany grabbed her hand and patted her leg for her. "Her name was Nicki, she asked to see my elbow because I fell."

"Dr. Nicki?" Brittany repeated as Santana came walking back over.

"I got skates for everyone." She smiled until she saw Brittany's glare and rolled her eyes. "What did I do now? I know that glare."

"Nothing." Brittany sighed while lifting Taylor on the bench and taking her boots off of her. She accepted one of the skates from Santana and silently put it on her, making sure to tie it tight.

Santana shrugged and sat down to put her own skates on, glancing at Brittany every few minutes to see if her facial expression changed, but it didn't. She then lifted Taylor back on the ground and zipped her coat back up higher as Brittany put her skates on. Santana stepped on the ice and immediately fell. "Fuck." She hissed as Taylor smiled and laughed.

Britany glanced up and raised an eyebrow at her ex-wife who allowed Taylor to help her up. "Are you okay?" She asked.

"I'm fine." Santana sighed as Brittany gracefully got on the ice and twirled in a circle.

"Ready, baby girl." She smiled while extending her hand to Taylor, who nodded and latched on to Brittany. "Give your hand too Santana, you're never stable right away on the ice."

Santana nodded and grabbed Brittany's hand as the three began to skate on the perimeter to warm up. Brittany leading them from the middle and helping to balance the both of them. Taylor looked up at her mother's and smiled brightly when she saw the smiles start to frown on their faces.

"I'm sorry." Santana whispered to Brittany. "I planned to talk to you about Lima and Christmas this weekend, but Taylor beat me to it."

Brittany looked at her, while skillfully helping Taylor twirl with one arm, she took in the honestly and sincerity that was etched on Santana's face and nodded. "Tay you want to go skate with the other kids by the snowman?"

"Yeah." Taylor nodded when Brittany saw some of her friends from school waving to her. She waved to the kids, then to their parents as they skated Taylor halfway over.

"She's popular." Santana laughed when a group of girls crowded around Taylor and began to laugh while they all linked hands and skated together.

"Reminds me of when we were kids, and everyone would flock to you at recess." Brittany laughed softly as their hands dropped and they began to skate a little faster around the rink. "So, Lima?"

"I haven't seen my parents in a while, Tay hasn't been to Lima in a while either, I'll take her to see your parents and family too." Santana nodded while looking at Brittany. "I really want her to go with me, but I also promised her that if you were going to be sad and lonely on Christmas that we wouldn't go."

"Did you get plane tickets yet?" Brittany asked.

"No." Santana shook her head. "I told you I wanted to see how you felt about it too."

Brittany sighed. "Was she excited when you brought it up to her?"

"Yeah she was." Santana stated honestly. "We'll leave Christmas Eve night so you can spend the day with her if you want, I really need this trip B, I'm stressed like crazy, and you know how much I hated having to work last year. I must have FaceTimed Tay a million times."

"Traveling on that day sucks, leave on the 23rd." Brittany told her.

"So I can take her?" Santana asked with a smile.

Brittany rolled her eyes. "Yes, but I want her for New Year's Eve, even though that's still part of your holiday weekend, that we agreed on when we split, whoever has her Christmas gets her New Year's Eve too."

Santana sighed, since she was planning a huge nine o'clock countdown party complete with mocktails for Taylor. "That's fair." She nodded while extending her hand to Brittany.

"Since when do we shake hands?" Brittany frowned. "We did one and that was…"

_Santana looked at the official divorce documents in front of her on the glass table in her lawyer's office and sighed while picking up the ink pen slowly. She chanced a glance at Brittany was mimicking her actions at the far end of the table as well._

_"As decided by the two of you in court, your checking and savings accounts are divided straight down the middle, Miss Lopez will continue to reside in the rental condo in Manhattan while Miss Pierce will retain ownership of the house in Brooklyn._

_Santana broke her gaze with Brittany and looked down at the paperwork again. Brittany, however, continued to watch her soon to be ex wife. The way she kept shifting in the chair, the way her chest seemed to shake a little when she exhaled, and finally when Santana put the pen down and moved her hands under the table, where Brittany knew she was wringing her wrist._

_"As decided upon in family court this morning, Taylor Quinn Lopez will be under joint custody with the both of you, alternating weeks, and holidays each year, unless otherwise discussed and agreed upon by the two of you. Brittany you will have custody first." Quinn, who was Brittany's lawyer, chimed in._

_Brittany nodded and finally tore her eyes away from Santana as the lawyer looked at the both of them. Quinn stared between her two friends before continuing to speak. "We just need you to sign and initial where we marked for you on each page. Brittany your signature is needed by the yellow indicators, and Santana, yours are by the red."_

_Santana stared at Quinn before picking up her pen and scribbling her name on the ten pages of the document. Brittany did the same, signing a little slower that Santana. Quinn then grabbed Brittany's copy and checked it over while Santana's lawyer did the same. Santana noticed Quinn whisper something in Brittany's ear that caused her to scowl and state 'no' loudly to Quinn. Quinn sighed and rolled her eyes before meeting Santana's lawyer in the middle and swapping copies. _

_"We need you to sign again, please." Santana's lawyer stated._

_Santana and Brittany both began to sign while looking up at each other as they turned the pages. Quinn watching them both closely, noticing Santana slam her pen down on the table and clear her throat. _

_Quinn gathered the papers and stamped them with the date while signing her name as well. "The Court finds that Santana Lopez is entitled to a divorce as prayed for in the case of irreconcilable differences."_

_Santana felt her chest start to ache and stared at Brittany, gauging her reaction; she noticed her eyes start to slightly rim in red, and the darker blue color they were, she saw the sight tremble of her top lip, and felt her own heart start to break into smaller pieces._

_"IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED by the Court that a Decree of Divorce is hereby granted to Santana Lopez and the marriage relationship existing between the parties, Santana Lopez and Brittany Lopez, is hereby terminated and held for naught and both parties are hereby released and discharged from all obligations thereon._

_Brittany looked down quickly from Santana's intense gaze. _

_Quinn then continued. "IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the parties have entered into a Shared Parenting Plan which has been submitted to and approved by the Court. Both parents shall be designated residential parent and legal custodian, with parenting time as outlined in the Decree of Shared Parenting, filed herewith."_

_Santana let out a long sigh as her lawyer smiled. "Congratulations, you two are divorced." He gathered his paperwork and followed Quinn, who stared at Brittany for a moment to check on he, out of the office. Santana stood up first, grabbed her coat off the back of the chair and put it on, while Brittany did the same. Brittany walked towards the middle of the table, and met Santana, who stood there rocking on her heels. _

_Brittany outstretched her hand to her, Santana accepted her hand and shook it before turning and leaving the office quickly. Brittany sat at the table with her head in her hands and let out the long sigh she'd been holding in the entire meeting. Santana leaned on the office door and wiped the tear that formed before zipping up her coat and quickly walking to the elevator._

"Oh yeah…" Santana replied softly. "I just thought it would be official."

Brittany laughed. "Let's just skate a little more."

Santana grabbed her hand and smiled when she felt Brittany squeeze it while they skated around the rink, keeping a close eye on Taylor.

"So Taylor met Nicki?" Brittany asked.

Santana frowned. "No."

"That's not what she just told me." Brittany stated.

"I never had Tay around Nicki, I told you that." Santana shook her head. "Maybe you heard wrong."

Brittany frowned slightly. "No, Tay definitely said she met your doctor friend when she told me about her stranger danger incident in the store."

Santana dropped her head and closed her eyes tightly for a minute. "A few weeks ago when I picked Tay up from your house we went to the pharmacy to get more ointment for her rash and she ran like hell through the store and bumped into the Nicki, who asked was she okay when she hit her elbow and fell, she got freaked out from an adult asking to touch her, only to help." She added quickly when Brittany's face hardened. "I grabbed Taylor as she tried to run away and without even looking up at the person I cussed her out and called her a pedophile." Santana explained as Brittany shook her head and laughed a little. "I realized it was Nicki, introduced her to Tay as Dr. Nicole Stevens, and that was it, Brit. She told me to check Taylor's elbow since she kept holding it, and she left."

"That's it?" Brittany asked while turning around and skating backwards to face Santana.'

"That's it, Tay has no idea who she is." Santana nodded.

"Okay." Brittany shrugged.

"That's it?" Santana asked as Brittany reached forward and grabbed her when the Latina slipped backwards.

Brittany nodded. "You haven't gotten better at ice skating at all, have you?" She laughed. "And yes that's all, I can tell you're telling the truth."

"I am." Santana agreed, she slowly moved her arms from Brittany's grip, and grabbed her hands. "We had a beautiful night, a night that I needed with you, we talked earlier, which was great. " She started as Brittany skated closer to her and rested her hands on her waist, to brace her when she slipped again. "I just want us to have a good day…for Taylor."

"For Taylor." Brittany confirmed. "I really enjoyed last night too, I missed your body underneath mine." She said softly.

"It felt like we never missed three years of making love." Santana blushed. "You still know all my spots."

Taylor was standing by her friends and smiled happily when she saw Santana and Brittany skate by her slowly, both with smiles on their faces. "My moms are going to get back married." She stated proudly.

"No way." A small blonde girl smiled.

"How do you know?" A different girl asked.

"I made a wish, and I have a plan, it started with me faking sick so my mom, the doctor, had to come over in the middle of the night, she ended up staying all night!" Taylor stated proudly. "Then when I say my prayers at night I make sure to ask God and Santa for our whole family to spend Christmas together."

"You think it worked?" The first girl asked.

"Look!" Taylor said excitedly. "Then we had waffles this morning because Doctor Mom stayed the night again last night."

"Did they kiss?" The second girl asked.

"I bet they did." Taylor nodded with a smirk. "That's what grown up do. I have another part of the plan too." She then hit her friend on the arm. "Tag you're it." She yelled while skating away quickly.

* * *

><p>"There he is!" Taylor yelled happily while pointing to Santa Claus.<p>

"Did you finish your list for my house?" Santana asked Taylor while shifting her coat, that she was carrying for her, to her other arm.

"Yep," She dug in her pocket and pulled it out.

"I saw it on the table and got a picture of her list for you." Brittany whispered.

"Thanks." Santana nodded.

"Go get in line Tay." Brittany told her while pointing to the line of kids. "We are right behind you."

"Wait, baby." Santana set everything in her hands on the floor and fixed Taylor's hair, which was a little messed up from her hat. She smoothed out her pony tail and adjusted the big red bow in her hair, before checking the french braid in her hair.

"When I smile I'll make sure to show my missing teeth." She laughed while sticking her tongue through the hole.

"Good plan." Brittany teased. "Maybe they'll come back faster."

"Maybe." Taylor laughed while running over to the line.

"We have an awesome kid." Santana smiled while staring at Taylor's outfit. A pair of winter distressed dark denim jeans that came with red tights underneath, her white shirt, and red and white striped Ralph Lauren cardigan sweater over, tan Uggs on her feet.

"She's so much like you." Brittany nodded.

Santana proudly. "My mini me." She then glanced up at Brittany. "She's a lot like you too, she has a lot of your personality."

Brittany smiled. "She's got some Snixx in her, it comes out when she's upset."

Santana turned a shade of red. "Sorry, I'm trying to control her temper, well help her learn to control it."

"I like when Snixx comes out, sometimes." Brittany whispered before smirking and standing behind Taylor, resting her arms around her shoulders and hugging her. Taylor glanced up at winked at Brittany before leaning back into her embrace.

Santana stared at the two of them and couldn't help the smile on her face as Brittany started singing 'Here Comes Santa Claus' to Taylor while rocking her side to side. She pulled her phone out and snuck a picture of the two of them, saving it to her phone as her screensaver before walking closer to the pair. Brittany smiled at her when Santana joined in singing.

Taylor waited impatiently for her turn to see Santa, swinging from Brittany's arms, dancing and twirling while Santana held her arm in the air for her. Brittany noticed Santana yawning and moved to stand closer, she discreetly patted her shoulder, inviting Santana to rest on it, which she happily did while Taylor continued to talk excitedly about Santa and what she hoped she would get.

When her turn came she ran up and jumped on his lap, while Santana and Brittany both lifted her cell phones and began to take numerous pictures of her. "Smile big Tay.' Brittany told her as the elf helper began to count down for her picture. Taylor smiled as big as she could while waving to the camera before taking another one with an exaggerated wink as Santana watched and nodded proudly.

"I think you paid last year, so I'll pay for this package." Brittany stated while pulling out her credit card as Taylor hopped off and ran over to Brittany.

Santana walked over to Santa and slipped him a twenty dollar bill. "She whispered something to you at end, what did she ask for?"

Santa stared at her and raised his eyebrow while refusing the money. "This is on the the house, she said she wants her moms to spend Christmas together."

"Thanks." Santana nodded. "Merry Christmas."

"Same to you."

* * *

><p>After spending the remainder of the day with their cell phones off, a rule set by Taylor, when both Santana and Brittany received phone calls they absolutely needed to take; one of Santana's patients was back in the hospital, and Brittany needed to take a quick conference call, they were back at Santana's condo where she offered to cook dinner. While she made chicken enchiladas, Taylor's favorite, she watched Brittany and Taylor play various games on the Wii before Taylor finally fell asleep, cuddled in between the two of them while watching <em>Home Alone<em> on the couch. Santana carried her up to bed, waking her up enough to brush her teeth and put her pajamas on before heading back downstairs where Brittany was looking over Taylor's Christmas lists.

"Since Tay is asleep, I'll call you an Uber and pay when you're ready to go home." Santana told her.

"Mind if I stick around for a little while, so we can work out Taylor's gifts?" Brittany asked.

"Stay as long as you like." Santana shrugged. "I mean, there's no rush to leave." She clarified. "Should I open a bottle of wine?"

"Red?"

Santana nodded and went to the kitchen, she came back with two glasses of Merlot, a brand she knew Brittany would love, and handed one to her before grabbing a notepad off the dining room table and an ink pen. "So let's split everything by house, then by price, so it's fair."

"Got it." Brittany nodded while taking a sip. "This is really good, I forgot how impeccable your taste in wine is."

"Dr. Swant has a family winery that makes it. I can float you a case if you want, consider it a Christmas gift." Santana shrugged while staring at the list.

"Thanks." Brittany smiled. "What do you want for Christmas?"

"Peace on earth." Santana teased.

Brittany laughed. "Seriously, if you had one wish for Christmas, what would it be?"

Santana set her pen down. "I want a family again, you know when we moved here it was just the two of us, our parents, aunts, uncles, cousins are all in Lima, when we divorced I felt like I lost my family."

Brittany's face dropped. "Santana, you know I'm still your family."

"Yeah, but it's different now." Santana told her. "Which is why I really want to go to Lima for Christmas, this year was weird for me, and I just need to be around some family right now."

"I understand." Brittany nodded while circling items she would buy for Taylor.

"What are you going to do for Christmas then?" Santana asked.

"Quinn invited me skiing but I declined initially because of Taylor, but maybe I'll go with her." Brittany replied.

"You should, don't stay in that big house alone." Santana told her. "Please don't spend Christmas alone, Brit."

Brittany heard the sincerity in her voice and nodded. "I won't."

They focused on the list and decided they were fair after almost an hour of looking up some of the toys online; buying them right away and having them delivered to Brittany's office. Santana stretched and closed her laptop before standing up. "Can I refill your glass?"

"Sure." Brittany nodded. "Thanks."

Santana went to the kitchen and grabbed the bottle, when she got back to the living room Brittany was curled on the couch flipping through channels. "So..."

"So..." Brittany replied while raising an eyebrow. "It's so lonely at home without Tay, so sorry if I'm imposing, or stalling to go home."

"It's fine." Santana laughed. "Why do you think I work so much when I don't have her? I'm going to get out of these jeans and change into some sweats, are you okay?""

"Actually would you mind bringing me some?" Brittany asked.

"I have some of your Cheerio sweats I think." Santana told her while running upstairs. She glanced at the time and went to her office, hopping on the computer and buying her plane tickets for Lima, she quickly printed the confirmation and placed it on the desk before changing and grabbing Brittany a pair of sweats to change into.

She jogged down the stairs and handed them to Brittany. "If we are watching a movie, we need popcorn. Give me two minutes." She ran in the kitchen while Brittany changed and quickly popped a bag. Brittany changed and laid her pants neatly on the floor by the couch before poking the fire and sitting back down on the couch, grabbing a blanket to cover her legs.

Santana sat a reasonable distance away from her on the couch as Brittany flipped through her movie channels. Santana set the bowl on the table and yawned again before wiggling to get cozy on her end of the couch. Brittany found a movie after fifteen minutes of channel surfing and reached forward to grab the bowl of popcorn.

"You'll love this movie, Santana, I've seen it like ten times." She laughed, when she didn't get a response she looked over and noticed that Santana was fast asleep. Brittany smiled and stood up to check the door to her condo, she then put the gate in front of the fire, and turned out the lamps. She sat back on the couch and shuffled so she was lying behind Santana, who stirred and started to wake up. "It's just me, go back to sleep." Santana sleepily turned into Brittany's chest and fell back asleep as Brittany spread the blanket over them and turned the TV off. She placed soft kisses over Santana's face and stared at her in the glow of the fireplace.

"I know what you meant earlier." Brittany whispered. "I want our family back together too."

Taylor, who was peeping around the corner, jumped in the air and clicked her heels while holding her teddy bear triumphantly over her head before running back to her room and jumping in bed, a huge smile on her way.

* * *

><p><strong>Thoughts?<strong>


	9. Chapter 9

"How many times are you going to change?" Mercedes asked Santana as the Latina ran back down the stairs in her condo.

"I didn't really change." Santana grumbled. "I just changed my pants."

"And your shoes, and your jewelry, your hair, and your top." Mercedes laughed. "But yeah other than that you didn't change much." She stood up while taking another sip of her wine as Santana brushed past her. "Wait...bitch did you change your perfume to?" She asked while leaning into the couch laughing. "Did you wash your neck to do that?"

"Shut up." Santana snapped before smiling shyly. "I just remembered that Brittany hates that other perfume on me."

"So is this a date between you two?" Mercedes asked.

"No, we are just Christmas shopping for Taylor." Santana stated quickly.

"Mmmmhmmm." Mercedes hummed while raising her eyebrow and picking a piece of lint off of Santana's dark red tuxedo style blazer. "Do you always wear leather pants and stiletto boots to shop?"

"I'm in scrubs and sneakers all the time." Santana sighed. "So dressing up tonight is just for fun, it's relaxing to put on a good pair of red bottoms. I'm dressing up just for fun."

"You mean just for Brittany." Mercedes laughed.

"Whatever." Santana shook her head. "We are just Christmas shopping for Tay."

"At 8pm on a Friday night?" She asked.

"Yeah." Santana nodded as her doorbell rang. "Get the door that's Brit."

Mercedes walked to the door as Santana pulled out her compact and checked her make up. "Don't worry I'm sure all the random ass people at the stores you go in will think your makeup is fine." She winked at her, causing her to nod in appreciation and put her compact up. Mercedes was always the most supportive of her relationship in highschool, and even encouraged Santana to ask Brittany out on the first date, offering to double with her and her boyfriend at the time, Leonard, to make Santana more comfortable.

"Hey Cedes." Brittany smiled brightly while hugging her as she walked in the condo.

Santana looked at Brittany and felt her heart to melt, she was wearing skin tight jeans, with knee brown boots, a winter white high collar sweater one, and a brown Donna Karan wool coat that had a cow neck, gold hardware, and belt that she tied tightly around her small waist. She had her hair in big curls and smiled shyly when she locked eyes with Santana.

"Well, I'll let you two ladies get to your _shopping._" She smiled. "Who has princess Taylor?"

"She's at a sleepover." Brittany told her as Mercedes put her coat on.

"Have a good night ladies." She waved while laughing before leaving.

"You look great." Santana smiled. "Really great." She stood up and hugged her tightly.

Brittany closed her eyes and melted into Santana's embrace, while inhaling her scent. "I've always loved when you wore that perfume, Dolce & Gabanna Light Blue."

"You like it, really?" Santana asked with a smirk before leaning up and kissing Brittany softly on the lips.

It had been a little over week since their family day with Taylor, the next morning Santana woke up cuddled in Brittany's chest and embrace and couldn't hide the excitement or blush on her face of waking up to the former love of her life two morning in a row, they exchanged quiet and soft kisses on the couch for almost an hour while talking more about their marriage quietly, once again apologizing for what they did in the past; when they heard Taylor start to stir in her room, Santana got up and headed to the kitchen to make breakfast so they she wouldn't catch them hugged up on the couch.

Brittany leaned back in when the kiss broke and snuck another quick kiss. "Do you want me to drive?"

"Sure." Santana shrugged. "Ready to spend some serious money?"

"Of course." Brittany nodded while laughing. "Taylor deserves everything she asked for and more."

"Yeah she does."

* * *

><p><strong>11pm<strong>

"So we officially finished Christmas shopping." Santana smiled while putting the last bag in Brittany's trunk. "Everything else is either being shipped to one of our houses, or to my parents in Lima, so she has stuff to open there."

"We didn't do too bad." Brittany laughed.

"Please, I need to work overtime now." Santana smiled. "Our baby girl is expensive."

Brittany smiled. "Do you want to grab some dinner, my treat?"

"You paid last time, tonight is my treat." Santana smiled.

Brittany nodded. "I know the perfect place we can go."

Twenty minutes later, Brittany pulled up to a small Italian restaurant, she glanced at Santana to see her reaction while putting the car in park. She watched her ex-wife's mouth form a slow 'o' before turning to face Brittany. "This is where we had our first official New York date."

Brittany nodded. "You saved up for weeks to be able to pay yourself, even though I would have happily paid for myself."

"I wanted to treat you." Santana told her while wiping the tear away quickly that slid down her cheek. "I _needed_ to pay that night."

"Well, now you can pay again." Brittany teased while wiping another tear away from Santana's face.

She hopped out and ran around the car to open the door for Santana, who accepted her hand and stepped out, Brittany kept their hands linked while walking to the hostess booth and whispering to the attendant.

"Right this way Miss Pierce." He stated as he led them upstairs to a private room.

"Brit." Santana smiled while looking around as they were seated in a booth by the window, overlooking the river.

"I made reservations this morning when you called and invited me shopping with you." Brittany blushed. "I haven't been here since our fifth wedding anniversary."

"Me either." Santana smiled while taking her coat off. "This is an awesome surprise, Brittany."

"I ordered for us already too, since you know their kitchen closes at midnight. You still like the chicken parm sandwich, right?"

"With grilled onions." Santana nodded. "And you get the seafood alfredo."

"With lemon juice squeezed over it." Brittany smiled.

They grew quiet and looked out at the river, the Christmas lights from various buildings reflecting off of it. "How's work?" Brittany asked to make conversation.

"Crazy." Santana stated as the waiter set glasses of water with cucumber and mint down for them. She sighed and took a sip before staring at Brittany, who was looking deep in her eyes. "It's probably a blessing in disguise that Taylor was with you instead of me this past week."

Brittany nodded. "How do you balance it with Tay, like when you work? Especially when you're on call."

"Honestly, I've had her at work with me sometimes." Santana admitted. "There was one night that I got called in for an emergency surgery, so I had to take her with me, you were out of town for work, I think you went to Chicago?" Brittany frowned while she tried to think of her trip, but remembered quickly. "It was hectic, I hated having to wake her up just to get dressed." She shook her head. "I felt like such a terrible mom."

"Don't." Brittany shook her head. "We both know you aren't."

"I had one of the interns find a small bed and push it in my office, I made them pack it with blankets so it was super comfy and I had her go to sleep in there." Santana sighed. "I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologizing?" Brittany asked while grabbing her hand and rubbing her knuckles.

"Because I let work get in the way so much." Santana shrugged. "After my surgery I went back to my office and pulled her in my lap and held her while she slept."

"Can I be honest?" Brittany asked, Santana nodded while eating a piece of bread. "I've taken Taylor to my office, I forgot some important files and I carried her while she slept to my office."

They locked eyes again and began to laugh loudly. "God we are addicted to work." Santana laughed.

"Totally." Brittany nodded while smiling. "But what do we have to show for it? Who do we have to share it with?"

"We are able to buy whatever we want, drive luxury cars, wear designer clothes and shoes, give Taylor everything she wants and desires." Santana rattled off. "But at night we get in bed alone, no one to hold or whisper good night too anymore."

"No one to cuddle close to while the bed warms up." Brittany added.

"No one to hold on cold winter mornings, or to share a cup of coffee with on Saturday mornings." Santana added softly while looking out of the window, breaking her gaze with Brittany.

"No one to kiss good night."

"No one to welcome us home after a long day."

Brittany reached over and turned Santana's face back to her, she then leaned over the table and kissed Santana softly, the Latina slowly deepened the kiss and slipped her tongue in Brittany's mouth, causing both of them to moan softly before breaking the kiss.

"What are we doing?" Santana asked her.

"Living in the moment." Brittany smiled softly before pressing their lips together again.

They spent the rest of the dinner, laughing and talking about old times, while planning some more _family_ days with Taylor, doing their hardest to keep their promise to each other. Brittany drove them back to Manhattan and after a very intense make out on the couch, they both decided it was best if Brittany went back home for the night. Santana stayed awake and waited for her phone call when she made it back to Brooklyn, that she was home and safe. Santana finally fell asleep around three in the morning after playing around on the piano in her living room; while Brittany listened to Santana's video of _White Candle _ for the millionth time before falling asleep.

* * *

><p><strong>December 22, 7pm<strong>

"_Then_ the teacher said no one could have recess, all because of Johnathan." Taylor told Brittany with a frown.

"_No one_ got recess?" Brittany asked, playing into her story.

"No one." Taylor shook her head. "Then Marley got mad and pushed his notebook off his desk, and then Jonathan hit her with the notebook!" She exclaimed while waving her little arms.

Brittany immediately frowned and set down the mug of hot chocolate she was drinking. She was laying on a makeshift pallet with Taylor in front of the fireplace while they chatted about school and played checkers. With Santana picking up Taylor tomorrow afternoon for their flight to Lima, she wanted to spend as much time with her as she could, even though she'd had Taylor the past two weeks, with the exception of one Saturday night where Santana took her to see the Nutcracker, something she planned months ago, and Taylor stayed the night with her.

"He hit her hard?" She asked her daughter while dropping a few more marshmallows from the bag into Taylor's mug.

Taylor nodded as her eyes widened. "She started to cry and the teacher sent him to the principal."

"Does that happen a lot in school?" Brittany asked her as Taylor popped a marshmallow in her mouth.

"Umm, only with Jonathan." Taylor told her. "He's mean."

"Does he hit you?" Brittany asked her.

Taylor shook her head quickly. "Nope, I would push him back if he did and hit him harder than he hit me."

Brittany stifled her laugh masking it with a cough. "Well, Taylor, hitting someone back isn't the always the best thing to do."

"Mami said it is." Taylor nodded. "She said to use my special _mexican third eye_ for stuff like that. She said if a boy hits me to kick him in the privates."

Brittany sighed. "Well you can use that but make sure you tell a teacher, and then tell one of us right away, no matter who's house you are at that week."

Taylor stared at the checker board in between them and jumped two of Brittany's pieces. "King me, king me! She yelled while jumping up and dancing around in her green and red footed pajamas, that matched Brittany's.

Brittany laughed loudly and stacked another checker on top for her. "You, my love, are a dork."

"A dorky winner." Taylor winked at her.

"Seriously, do you practice winking with your mom?" Brittany asked again while laughing and taking a sip of her hot chocolate.

"Everyone has a victory dance." Taylor stated confidently. "Let me show you mami's." She smiled while jerking her hand back and forth quickly while tapping her foot before scooting across the den floor.

Brittany watched her daughter and instantly saw Santana. "You are so much like her, and you're doing her dance perfectly."

"What's yours?" Taylor asked sweetly.

Brittany jumped to her feet and did a dance while twirling around causing Taylor to laugh.

"That's a good one." She nodded.

Brittany then nodded towards her feet, inviting Taylor to hop on, and began to dance around the den with her while humming. Taylor stared up at her with a huge smile on her face,while hugging Brittany tightly. Brittany danced her way over to the recliner and sat down, lifting Taylor in her lap and hugging her. "I'm going to miss you so much when you go to Lima tomorrow."

"I'ma miss you too." Taylor nodded while leaning into Brittany's chest.

"You're going to have so much fun with your mami." Brittany told her while kissing the top of her head.

"Are you gonna cry because I'm gone?" Taylor asked while turning to straddle Brittany, playing with the heart necklace she was wearing.

Brittany linked her hands behind Taylor's back to brace her smiled. "Tay, I _always_ get a little sad and cry a little when you leave for the week to go to your mami's house, but I know I'll see you in a few days, and I know you'll be super safe with your mami in Lima."

"You're going skiing with Aunt Quinn?" Taylor then asked.

"Yep." Brittany nodded. "We packed our suitcases together, remember you put picked out a sweater for me to take."

Taylor blushed and nodded. "Then we have Christmas together when I get back?"

"Christmas together when you get back." Brittany told her. "But how about you go pick a gift from the under the tree right now and open it."

Taylor's eyes widened as she flipped off of Brittany's lap backwards, causing her to nod proudly at how good she was in gymnastics, definitely taking after her, and ran to the tree. She carefully looked at the tons of presents that Brittany had wrapped in bright silver paper with different color bows and ribbons. "A big one or a small one?" Taylor asked while glancing back at her.

"How about a small one?" Brittany suggested, hoping Taylor picked the small silver box with the pink bow that was right on top.

Taylor picked up a few boxes, of all sizes, and shook them slightly with serious look on her face, before setting them down and picking up the small box Brittany wanted her to. "This one looks good." She said happily.

Brittany opened her arms, inviting Taylor to run back into them, which she quickly did. She lifted her daughter back in her lap, Taylor leaned back on Brittany's chest and opened the small box. "Whoa!" She smiled happily while looking at the rose gold heart pendant with the letter T engraved in it. "This is so cool!"

"Do you like it?" Brittany smiled.

"Yeah." Taylor nodded. "I can wear it everyday?"

"Yes." Brittany told her while helping her take it out of the box and putting it on her. "You're old enough for your first piece of jewelry. Never take it off without me or your mami's help, never at school, or at a friend's house."

Taylor nodded while staring at the pendant with an enamored smile. "You and mami have these too right?"

"Good job, you are so observant." Brittany nodded. "We each have one just like this, we got them after we got married as a gift to each other."

"So it's special?" Taylor asked while looking at Brittany.

"Yes, very special."

"You and mami hang out a lot and mami stayed over here, and you stayed at mama's." Taylor noted. "Does that mean we are a family again?"

Brittany turned her around again. "We will _always_ be a family sweetheart, okay?" Brittany told her sternly. "We are just a different kind of family, one where the mommies don't live together, but we promise to do more stuff together, all three of us."

Taylor's shoulders slumped. "Okay."

Brittany kissed her on the top of the head and hugged her tightly, hoping to brighten her mood.

"Can I give you your gift?" Taylor asked her.

"I get a gift?" Brittany faked excitedly.

"Yep." Taylor nodded while jumping down and running to the tree. She picked up a gift, she clearly wrapped herself, and ran back to Brittany.

Brittany shook the gift, and smelled it while laughing.

"Momma it doesn't smell." Taylor laughed. "Open it!"

Brittany ripped the paper off the box dramatically, making sure to throw the pieces everywhere for great effect, enjoying how excited Taylor got with every piece she ripped off. She then opened the rectangular box and saw a series of homemade gifts, a coffee mug that read _worlds greatest __momma,_ a tshirt with the same slogan, and finally a picture frame. They all were clearly written by Taylor which made Brittany love them even more.

"I'm the _world's greatest_?" Brittany asked while wiping her eyes.

Taylor nodded confidently. "Mami's says _mami_, so it's far."

Brittany laughed, Taylor was always so careful of their feelings, and made sure they knew she didn't love or favor one more than the other. "This is perfect, T." She told her while hugging her and kissing all her face, causing her to laugh. "I love them."

"Ready to lose again in checkers?" Taylor then asked as Brittany put her tshirt on over her pajamas.

"The _worlds greatest momma _can't lose." Brittany teased while grabbing Taylor tightly and jumping back on the soft pallet on the floor, tickling her daughter. "I love you so much Tay."

"I love you too momma." Taylor blushed while kissing Brittany on the cheek.

* * *

><p>"Thanks for coming over." Santana smiled while opening the door, Christmas music faintly playing in her condo.<p>

"I was a little shocked you invited me over." Nicki smiled as she took her boots off.

"Well, I know you need to wrap gifts for your nieces and nephews, and I have a ton of wrapping paper, I thought we could do it together and talk." Santana told her while handing her a glass of eggnog after Nicki set down the bags of toys and gifts she had with her.

"Thanks, and sure what did you need to talk about?" Nicki asked her.

Santana led her to the dining room table, where she had wrapping paper, ribbons, tape, and bows all over. "Let's ease into that." Santana suggested.

Nicki shrugged. "Okay, so how much did you spend on Taylor, because that tree is full of presents already." She laughed.

"A small fortune." Santana laughed. "Brittany and I went Christmas shopping together this year to split the gifts, and went overboard. But these gifts I'm wrapping are for the toy drive at work, I was hopping you can drop them off for me I won't have time tomorrow."

"That's good for Taylor, and of course." Nicki laughed while beginning to wrap a firetruck for her nephew. "How are things going with Brittany?"

Santana glanced up nervously. "You sure you want to talk about her?"

Nicki put her tape down and stared at Santana. "I told you there was no bad blood when we broke up, I meant that Santana, we're still friends. We were friends before we started to sleep together, and you've always vented about Brittany to me."

Santana nodded. "Things are good between us, like really good. We finally talked about what went wrong in our marriage, and now we are on the path to being good friends again."

"That's good. Because of Taylor you two will always be in each other's lives, I know you said coparenting was good between you two, but I know you miss her as a friend." Nicki told her while adding a silver and green bow to the box and picking up another to wrap.

"She's been my best friend since we were kids." Santana nodded while wrapping some a Monopoly board game.

"So what's stopping your from getting your girl back?" Nicki asked while taking a sip of her eggnog.

"Taylor."

"Wouldn't Taylor love if you two were back together?" Nicki asked while raising an eyebrow.

"Of course." Santana laughed. "I say Taylor, because I don't want us to start something again and it doesn't work, I don't want to drag her through another break up."

Nicki hummed in agreement. "Well, remember when we broke up, and I told that I knew I didn't have your full heart, and never would?"

Santana nodded. "That's what I wanted to talk to you about. How did you know?"

"Even the times you hated Brittany, and would come over screaming and swearing about her, I saw in your eyes you didn't mean it, your voice would crack when you said her name, the time you caught her in bed with someone else you were a mess for days. If you weren't still in love with her, you wouldn't have been the ball of tears you were for days." Nicki stated. "Santana, even when we had sex sometimes, I could feel you weren't all the way there with me. It was great, but it was missing a level of intimacy that we should have had after sleeping together for six months."

"I'm sorry." Santana said quickly.

"Don't be." Nicki smiled. "Sometimes people are put in your life to help realize who you really need, maybe I was put in your to help you realize you still Brittany, and clearly she still loves you."

"How can you be so sure?" Santana asked.

"I just can, and I've only seen her in passing at the hospital." Nicki smiled. "Get your wife back."

Santana laughed. "If I didn't know any better I would say you are pushing me in the hands of my ex wife to get rid of me."

"Maybe." Nicki teased.

"So what are you doing for Christmas? Your mom's house?" Santana asked.

"Skiing with Dr. Ruiz." Nicki smirked.

"Whoa..." Santana raised an eyebrow. "Are you two?" She then asked excitedly.

"We aren't official, just hanging out." Nicki blushed.

"Shit, I always knew she liked you, I remember cussing her ass out for trying to make a move when we were together." Santana laughed.

"I recall the epic call room fight." Nicki laughed.

"Argument, not fight." Santana clarified. "I'm happy for you."

"Thanks." Nicki looked her deep in her eyes. "I want to say the same for you, so get your wife back."

Santana stared at her before picking up her eggnog. "You want to wrap my gifts so I can watch TV, you're doing such a good job."

"Nope." Nicki laughed. "You're a surgeon, this should be cake for you."

* * *

><p><strong>December 23, 5pm<strong>

Santana stood patiently to the side as Brittany hugged Taylor tightly for the third time. "Have a good time on your trip, baby girl." Taylor hugged her back tightly and nodded. "Take care of her San, I mean I know you will, but..."

"I get it Brittany." Santana nodded.

Brittany offered to drop them off at the airport so she could see Taylor off on the plane and say goodbye to her there.

**Now boarding Delta Airlines Flight 8745 to Lima, Ohio by way of Dayton, Ohio.**

"You better get going." Brittany sniffled while standing back up. "Stay close to your mom in the airport when you land, Tay. Don't go running around and stuff." She told her sternly.

"I promise." Taylor nodded while grabbing Santana's hand.

Santana glanced down at her and smiled. "Get your backpack, Taylor." She pointed to her backpack in the chair next to her. She pulled Brittany into a hug. "Thanks for letting me take her with me."

"You're welcome."

"Have a safe ski trip." She smiled before reaching in her purse and handing Brittany a red envelope. "Christmas card." She explained.

"Thanks." Brittany told her while taking the card. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, Brittany." Santana replied while kissing Brittany on the cheek, letting her lips linger there, leaving a red lipstick mark on her pale skin.

"You better video chat to say Merry Christmas." Taylor demanded.

Brittany laughed and broke their embrace. "I promise to."

"Bye." Santana waved while picking up her purse and her carryon with her laptop in it. She pulled out their tickets and grabbed Taylor's hand to head to the terminal. Brittany stood and watched them, flipping the card over and over in her hands before finally leaving the airport.

* * *

><p><strong>December 24, 2pm<strong>

Brittany was double checking her suitcase while waiting for her cab to come take her to the airport. She glanced at Santana's Christmas card that was sitting on her bed side table. She sat down and opened it finally, she smiled brightly at the picture of Santana and Taylor dressed alike wearing Santa hats, throwing fake snow in the air, big smiles on their faces.

"So cute." She laughed as she flipped the picture over and saw six more poses of the two of them. "She thinks of the cutest ideas for them." She read the generic card, signed by her and Taylor. She set the card on her table and went to throw the envelope away when she noticed a disc in it, labeled _put in computer_. She assumed it was probably some behind the scene video of the photoshoot that Santana put together and grabbed her laptop to play it.

She was shocked when she saw Santana come into focus, she was sitting at her piano, wearing a simple black shirt, her hair in a ponytail; she didn't have on any makeup at all, and had her black glasses on. She looked completely natural which Brittany loved. She liked when Santana got all dolled up, but she loved when she was completely natural as well, she always thought she looked breathtaking. She watched Santana start to play a melody on the piano, she glanced at the camera and began to sing.

_Darlin' I can't explain_  
><em>Where did we lose our way<em>  
><em>Girl it's drivin' me insane<em>  
><em>And I know I just need one more chance<em>  
><em>To prove my love to you<em>  
><em>If you come back to me<em>  
><em>I'll guarantee<em>  
><em>That I'll never let you go<em>

Brittany's breath hitched while she placed her hand on her heart. Santana made sure to stare right in the camera while she sang, causing Brittany to feel like she was truly singing right to her.

_Can we go back to the days our love was strong  
>Can you tell me how a perfect love goes wrong<br>Can somebody tell me how to get things back  
>The way they used to be<br>Oh God give me a reason  
>I'm down on bended knee<br>I'll never walk again until you come back to me  
>I'm down on bended knee<em>

Brittany blinked and let tears slide down her cheeks as Santana had her own falling slowly.

_So many nights I dreamt_  
><em>Holding my pillow tight<em>  
><em>I know that I don't need to be alone<em>  
><em>When I open up my eyes<em>  
><em>To face reality<em>  
><em>Every moment without you<em>  
><em>It seems like eternity<em>  
><em>I'm begging you, begging you come back to me<em>

"What is she doing?" Brittany asked through tears, blinking quickly to get them out of her eyes so she could see. Santana nodded her head and closed her eyes while singing the chorus again.

_Can we go back to the days our love was strong_  
><em>Can you tell me how a perfect love goes wrong<em>  
><em>Can somebody tell me how to get things back<em>  
><em>The way they used to be<em>  
><em>Oh God give me a reason<em>  
><em>I'm down on bended knee<em>  
><em>I'll never walk again until you come back to me<em>  
><em>I'm down on bended knee<em>

Brittany sniffled. "Oh my God, she hasn't written me a song in forever." Santana cleared her throat and played a instrumental on the piano before singing with such intensity that Brittany could see the veins in her neck start to pop out as a soft shade of red took over her face, her eyes once again opened and staring at her.

_I'm gonna swallow my pride  
>Say I'm sorry<br>Stop pointing fingers the blame is on me  
>I want a new life<br>And I want it with you  
>If you feel the same<br>Don't ever let it go  
>You gotta believe in the spirit of love<br>It'll heal all things  
>It won't hurt any more<br>No I don't believe our love's terminal  
>I'm down on my knees begging you please<br>Come home_

Santana sniffled and sang the chorus again.

_Can we go back to the days our love was strong  
>Can you tell me how a perfect love goes wrong<br>Can somebody tell me how to get things back  
>The way they used to be<br>Oh God give me a reason  
>I'm down on bended knee<br>I'll never walk again until you come back to me  
>I'm down on bended knee<em>

She then stopped playing and got on her knees. "Brittany, I love you, I'm _still_ in love with you, it never went away, and I think you love me too, and are still in love with me. The past is in the past, I want you back in my life, I _need_ to be back in yours. I bought you a plane ticket to Lima, the flight leaves at 6pm tonight. If you want to give us another try, please come to Lima and spend Christmas with Taylor and me. I'm on bended knee, let's build our family again." Santana wiped her tears. "If you don't come, then I know that we are better off as coparents, and I'll respect that. Either way Merry Christmas." She added before the video cut off.

Brittany exhaled as more tears overtook her body and she sobbed quietly while burying her face in her hands.

* * *

><p><strong>9pm Lima<strong>

"Bedtime." Santana told Taylor was walking in the living room.

Taylor was cuddled in Mr. Lopez's lap watching TV, falling asleep. "I have to wait for Santa."

"He won't come if you are awake." Santana said quietly.

"Si mi amor." Mr. Lopez nodded while kissing her on the top of the head.

"I gotta make sure he likes the cookies and brownies I left him." Taylor mumbled sleepily.

"Do the brownies have frosting?" Mr. Lopez asked as his eyes widened, and Santana laughed quietly.

"Si, Papi." She nodded against his chest.

"He'll love them." Mrs. Lopez smiled as her husband licked his lips and nodded.

"Come on Tay." Santana smiled while rubbing her back to wake her up a little more.

Taylor stretched and kissed her grandfather before he set her back on the floor, she walked sleepily over to Mrs. Lopez, who was reading a book by the fireplace and hugged her tightly. "Night 'buela."

"Good night love." Mrs. Lopez replied, smiling at how much she looked and behaved like Santana at her age.

Santana glanced at the time again, feeling a piece of her heart break off every time, since she knew the flight from New York was only two hours, which means Brittany would have landed long ago if she was coming.

"Santanita, are you okay?" Mrs. Lopez asked.

"Si mami, I'm okay, just tired I think." Santana nodded.

"All those surgeries." Mr. Lopez nodded proudly.

"Probably papi." She smiled politely. "I'm think I'm going to go to bed with Tay, good night."

"Good night." Her parents replied.

She led Taylor upstairs and got her in bed, smiling when she fell asleep right away in her old bedroom. She stared at her daughter, as she slept before closing the door and going across the hall to the guest room she was staying in, she changed into pajamas and checked her phone for a missed call or text but saw nothing, she watched TV for hours checking the window for headlights, but finally gave up gave up around 1am. She went downstairs and grabbed Taylor's gifts from the basement and set them around the tree, she then stuffed her stocking before going back upstairs and deciding to sleep with Taylor.

She cuddled close to her daughter and smiled when Taylor turned in her arms and exhaled against her chest in her sleep. She kissed all over her face before closing her eyes, letting a few tears slip out.

* * *

><p><strong>6am<strong>

Taylor woke up and looked around. "Christmas." She smiled brightly. She jumped on Santana and laid flush on her chest. "Mami it's Christmas." She said quietly at first. When Santana didn't stir she stood over her and began to jump up and down, which quickly woke her up.

"Taylor." She groaned. "You know better than to jump on the bed." She then opened her eyes and grabbed her flipping them over while tickling her. "Merry Christmas baby girl."

"Merry Christmas." Taylor laughed.

"Go see what Santa got you." She smiled when she saw how antsy she was, and laughed loudly when Taylor flipped out of the bed and ran out of the room. She checked her phone again and sighed. "Oh well..." She got out of bed and followed Taylor downstairs. "Did you get a whole lot?" She asked Taylor from the stairwell.

"I got the one thing I wanted the most!" Taylor said happily.

"Oh yeah?" Santana smiled but froze when she looked up at the tree.

"Merry Christmas Santana." Brittany said softly, with Taylor hugging her leg tightly. "Momma's here! We are all together!"

Santana let out a shaky breath and ran over to her, hugging her tightly. "You came."

"Huge blizzard in New York, I couldn't get my flight out until this morning." Brittany told her. "I was stuck in her airport all night, my phone died, and..."

Santana shook her head and pressed their lips together. "You're here, that's all that matters." She told her. "That's all that matters."

Brittany lifted Santana and spun her around. "Yes, I want to try again, and yes I still love you, so much."

"I love you too." Santana nodded while wiping Brittany's tears away and kissing her again.

"Thanks Santa." Taylor whispered while staring at her mothers. "We did it."

* * *

><p><strong>The End<strong>

**tumblr - talksfanfic  
><strong>


	10. Epilogue

**3 months later**

Taylor jumped out of her bed and ran across the hotel suite in Hawaii, she was vacationing in, and peeped in the other room. She saw Santana and Brittany still fast asleep, Brittany spooning her from behind, holding her ex-wife tightly. "Cool, they are still happy." She whispered before closing the door quietly and grabbing a banana from the fruit bowl in the kitchenette. She jumped on the couch and turned on cartoons.

"Why does she wake up so early?" Santana asked when she heard the TV blaring cartoons mixed in with Taylor's soft laughter. "We are on vacation."

"Well, she doesn't work seventy hour weeks." Brittany replied, rubbing Santana's stomach, where her hand was resting. "I woke up early as a kid today."

Santana turned in her arms so she could face her. "Hey, I only worked fifty four hours last week." She teased. "But this Spring Break vacation was perfect, thank you for inviting me."

"No problem." Brittany replied before pressing their lips together. "Thank you for taking off work to come."

"I let work get in the way and break us up once already." Santana shook her head. "I'm not doing that ever again. I want us to work this time around, I need us to. Family comes first."

"Good, me either." Brittany nodded as Santana started to kiss down her neck.

"Well, we've been here two days already and you haven't opened your laptop either." Santana smiled. "So I'm not the only one that's not focused on work."

"This trip is for us as much as is it for Taylor." Brittany told her, her hand sliding under Santana's tank top. "We need to talk to her about us, and explain everything."

"We can tonight at dinner." Santana nodded.

"You promised to jet ski with her today." Brittany reminded Santana, who was moving to lie between Brittany's legs.

"I know." She mumbled against the pale skin she was placing soft kisses on when Taylor knocked on the door.

"I can hear kissy sounds, so I know you're awake." Taylor said softly.

Santana laughed and slid off of Brittany, she sat against the headboard next to the blonde who was running her fingers through her hair. "Come on in Tay." Brittany smiled.

"Do you need more grown up time? Should I put my ear muffs back on?" Taylor asked, her big blue eyes looking between two of them.

Santana laughed. "No, you don't need your muffs on, you haven't needed your muffs all week." She glanced at Brittany, who laughed at the sad twinkle in Santana's eyes. The two hadn't had sex since they landed in Hawaii. They slept in bed together and cuddled while talking the night away usually, only exchanging kisses after laughing and talking. Part of their talk when Brittany came to Lima for Christmas was to make sure their relationship wasn't sole on sex, so they spent a lot of time when they were together talking, and going on dates, getting to know each other once another. Catching up on each other's new interests in TV, movies, new hobbies they picked up in the past years they were apart. They realized that while they co-parented they truly only did that, they didn't keep up with one another on a more personal level.

They didn't stay over each other's houses often either, occasionally after a family day on a Saturday with Taylor, depending on whose house they ended up at, they would stay the night, but they tried not to make a habit out of it. Mainly to avoid confusing Taylor or getting her hopes too high up, and also so they didn't confuse each other. They were determined to make sure their relationship was stronger this time around and stayed strong. They did have the sporadic mid day quickie to relieve some tension either at the hospital, or they would meet at one of their places and indulge in each other before ending back to work, all smiles.

Brittany's Spring Break trip with Taylor was planned months ago, but with how well things were going between the two of them, she bought Santana a ticket and invited her to join them in the sun for a week. Santana immediately agreed and took off work without a second thought, making sure all of her surgeries were covered, and that no new ones were scheduled right before she left. Taylor was ecstatic at the family vacation and talked the entire plane ride before finally collapsing on Santana's lap and falling asleep. They spent the first night letting Taylor pick the activities, which involved visiting a local zoo, swimming with dolphins, and having a sandcastle contest. The second day they did some shopping, spoiling Taylor as usual, they had lunch at a restaurant that was right on the ocean, before taking Taylor to laua that the resort had that evening.

"Come on and cuddle with us, Tay." Brittany smiled, patting the bed in between the two of them.

Taylor's eyes lit up, she flipped in the bed and crawled between her mothers. "I'm glad you came mami, momma's really happy you're here."

"She is?" Santana laughed, locking eyes with Brittany, who nodded in confirmation. "What about you?"

"It's okay." Taylor shrugged playfully.

"Just okay?" Santana laughed. "It was more than okay when we got triple scoop ice cream cones last night, right?"

"Oh yeah, that was awesome." Taylor laughed, quickly remembering all the junk Santana bought for her.

"Did you eat breakfast sweetheart?" Brittany asked as Taylor cuddled in her side, wrapping her little arm around her waist.

"No, well just a banana...it wasn't a _real_ breakfast like pancakes or anything." Taylor smirked, turning to glance at Santana.

"Oh well, we need to get a _real_ breakfast." Santana told Brittany. "Maybe Belgium waffles with fresh fruit, or crepes, or stuffed French Toast."

Taylor sat up and stared at her mother. "You're teasing mami."

"Go get dressed and we'll go to breakfast." Santana laughed. "Put on your bathing suit under shorts and tank top."

Taylor smiled and flipped back out of the bed, running out of the room.

"Why does she flip everywhere now?" Brittany asked with a smile.

"Hey, you wanted her in gymnastics." Santana yawned. "Do I get sex today?"

Brittany slipped her hand the blanket and cupped Santana's core. "Can you wait until tonight?" She asked, while massaging her.

"N-not, not when you're doing that." Santana stuttered, her head falling back against the headboard when she felt Brittany slip her fingers in her panties and glide them through her. "Shhhhhh." She moaned as Brittany explored her. She felt Brittany's lips on her neck and started to slowly rock into her hand.

"Should I wear my pink bathing suit?" Taylor asked as she burst back in the room.

Brittany sat up slightly but kept her hand moving slowly under the covers, Santana struggled to keep her eyes open, since Brittany was hit her spots. "Yes, something bright." She nodded. "Go get dressed baby."

"What are you doing?" Taylor asked. "I didn't hear talking."

"Go get dressed Tay." Brittany smiled.

Taylor stared at them. "Should I leave the door open?"

"No!" Santana almost yelled.

"Close the door, baby." Brittany replied sweetly.

Taylor stared at them again, before giving the thumbs up and closing the door. She ran back to her room for the week and rummaged through the drawers, since Santana unpacked for her. "I think they are doing grown up things." She frowned. She picked up her Frozen earmuffs and put them on. "Just in case." She nodded to herself as she laid out her bathing suits not he bed and went through the pros and cons of each one; something she picked up from watching Santana get dressed.

Brittany leaned over and attached her lips to Santana's, sliding her tongue in slowly. Santana moaned and grabbed Brittany's face, deepening the kiss. Brittany then abruptly broke the kiss. "Meet me in the shower, I get the feeling Taylor will be back." She pecked Santana's forehead and got out bed.

* * *

><p>After hours in the water, followed by more fun in the sand, the night ended with a sunset dinner on a yacht, with Taylor falling asleep in Santana's lap. Brittany and Santana found seats near the top of the dinner boat, that was relatively quiet. They stared out at the water, Santana leaning on her ex-wife's shoulder.<p>

"This feels so perfect." Santana whispered, adjusting Taylor in her lap and rubbing her back.

"Feels like we are a family again doesn't it?" Brittany asked her as they looked out at the now black water.

"Are we making the right decision?" Santana asked, lifting her head off of Brittany's shoulder. "Are we sure this is what we really want to do again?"

"Yes." Taylor mumbled waking up slightly.

"Let's talk when we get back to the hotel, and little ears aren't around." Brittany smiled. "The boat will dock in a few minutes I think anyways." She glanced at her watch.

Santana nodded as Brittany wrapped her arm around her, pulling her close again, kissing the top of her head. Santana snuggled closer to Brittany, lifting Taylor's legs over the blonde's and rocking her daughter as she drifted back to sleep. Brittany placed quiet kisses over Santana's exposed shoulders in her halter dress, waiting for her to look up and lock eyes with her. Santana kissed along Brittany's jaw before resting her head back on her shoulder. She got so lost in thought, thoughts of what she could do to make sure they worked this time, thoughts of how she could better manage her time, and thoughts of how much more at peace she felt that they were discussing getting back together.

"Santana." Brittany laughed. "I can't carry both of you." She teased, lifting Taylor out of her lap. "Wake up."

"Sorry." Santana blushed. "I just...sorry." She repeated.

"You okay?" Brittany asked, Taylor sighing against her shoulder.

"Perfectly okay." Santana nodded and grabbed Brittany's hand.

Once they returned to their suite, they got Taylor in pajamas and decided to take a walk on the beach, after locking her in the suite, double checking the main door a few times.

Brittany led them closer to the water, so the waves would crash against their feet. "Do you have doubts?"

"Not doubts." Santana told her, swinging their arms between them. "I'm scared that I'll mess up somehow. I don't want to break your heart again, or Taylor's."

Brittany stopped walking and turned Santana to face her. "Stop beating yourself up, we both ruined our marriage, and I think I broke your heart too."

"What if it doesn't work and..."

"What if it does?" Brittany replied. "We are older now, we've both matured, we know what happened the first time around, so we are prepared."

Santana grabbed her other hand and held them tightly. "We've grown as individuals, so we can be better for one another?"

"I think so." Brittany replied, dropping Santana's hands to hold her around the waist. "I think because of the divorce we value relationships a little more, we value each other more."

Santana stared in Brittany's eyes, she wrapped her arms around the blonde's neck.

"We made mistakes, but we learned from them. We are stronger now, we will be stronger together." Brittany finished. "Our love and appreciation for each other has deepened. I know mine has for you."

"I never stopped loving you." Santana smiled. "So we are going to seriously try, we've been tiptoeing around the past few months."

"Will you be my girlfriend?" Brittany asked sweetly, making Santana laugh.

She leaned up and kissed Brittany. "Yes."

Taylor sat on the balcony, spying on her moms with the binoculars she got as a gift that day. "I gotsta make sure they stay happy, so I'll make sure mami doesn't always work, and momma doesn't always have her computer." She jumped up and ran back to her room, she grabbed her notebook and a marker. "I'll make a list." She nodded as she sat on the floor, she drew a line down the middle of the page, writing _mami_ on one side and _momma_ on the other. "Okay, so mami's side...ummmm...she can't leave her work shoes in the living room cuz momma doesn't like that." She scribbled down _no shoes_. Momma can't leave her soda bottles all over, cuz mami doesn't like that." She scribbled _no soda bottles _under Brittany's column. "What else..." She tapped her chin with her marker, yawning in the process.

"So we are official again?" Brittany blushed.

"Yes, baby, we are girlfriends again." Santana smiled, rubbing Brittany's lower back. "Shit, I feel giddy like I did in highschool when we became official."

"Me too." Brittany kissed Santana again. "We should still take it slow, let's not rush anything."

"I agree." Santana glanced up at their suite, they hung a bright colored towel on the balcony so they could identify it from the sand.

"So you want to keep staying at your place?"

"Yes. I don't think I should move back in the house this soon." Santana kicked some water playfully at Brittany. "I want us to relax and have fun with this, while building a stronger friendship and relationship."

"I love you." Brittany kicked water back at her.

"I love you." Santana raised an eyebrow, she leaned down and scooped some water, throwing it at Brittany.

Brittany stared at her and lunged towards her pushing her in the water. "Fuck!" Santana laughed as Brittany hugged her tightly and lifted Santana in her arms, the Latina wrapped her legs around her waist and kissed down her neck before splashing more water on her.

Taylor yawned again and stared at her list, her big blue eyes drooping and red from fatigue. "Umm, mami doesn't like when momma leaves hair in the shower, so I'll..." She yawned again and rubbed her eyes. "I'll check the shower." She scribbled her notes down and stared at the list, her eyes got too heavy and her head began to drop, a moment later, she was fast asleep, her marker still in her hand."

**30 minutes later**

"Shhh, Tay." Brittany giggled as Santana kept her hands on her hips and followed her into the suite, she kissed Brittany's wet back and grabbed her butt, smacking it loudly, covering her mouth when she laughed.

"Let's dry off." Santana smiled, pulling Brittany to their bedroom.

Once they were changed into sweats and dry tank tops, Santana offered to grab wine from the bar in the living room, she decided to check on Taylor so she went to her room.

"Tay?" She saw her fast asleep on the floor and picked her up, thankful she was small for her age with all the times they carried her this week from falling asleep all over. She tucked her back in and kissed her on the forehead. "Silly goose, how did you end up on the floor?" She laughed.

Taylor's eyes opened. "Don't leave your shoes in the living room, and momma won't be mad, and momma won't leave her soda bottles in the living room, so you won't be mad."

Santana frowned. "What?"

"Just don't." Taylor mumbled, she turned on her side and began to snore softly.

"What the hell?" Santana laughed. "Night Tay." She was leaving the room when she noticed the list on the floor and picked up. She scanned over it and quickly walked back to the room, where Brittany was waiting for her.

"No good wine?" Brittany asked.

"Look at this." Santana handed Brittany the letter.

Brittany scanned the paper and frowned. "What is this?"

"What Taylor thinks ruined our marriage." Santana sighed. "Brit..."

"Let's talk to her in the morning." Brittany replied. "We'll straighten everything out, and make sure she knows we aren't married again, and we aren't going to jump and become the perfect family again."

"But we can assure her that we will try."

"Which we will." Brittany replied. "Come on to bed, so I can hold _my girlfriend_."

"Don't make me blush." Santana laughed and crawled in bed. She immediately kissed all over Brittany's face and landed on her lips. "Good night."

* * *

><p><strong>Noon<strong>

"I don't think I want to try that." Taylor shook her head.

"Are you sure?" Santana asked while popping a piece of calamari in her mouth.

Taylor made a face and shook her head again. "Why would you want to eat an octopus?"

"You eat chicken." Brittany smiled, eating a piece herself.

"You eat pig." Santana chimed in, taking a sip of her margarita.

"Can I have some of your drink?"

"Absolutely not Taylor." Santana replied quickly.

"Well then I don't want to eat meat anymore." Taylor crossed her arms.

"I don't want her around Rachel anymore." Santana rolled her eyes and started to eat a piece of chicken.

"Be nice." Brittany laughed. "Well eat all your veggies then Tay."

Taylor nodded and began to eat the squash on her plate.

"We want to talk to you, about what's going on with us." Santana stated. "Your mom and I are dating again, we're girlfriends, so we'll spend even more time together."

"You're going to move back with me and momma?" Taylor asked staring at the plate of calamari with a scowl.

"No,she isn't." Brittany answered and placed some chicken on Taylor's plate, knowing she would forget her brief stint at being vegetarian and eat it.

Santana laughed when she did indeed start to eat the chicken.

"So we are moving with mami?" Taylor asked.

"No, we are going to keep living separately, we want to be very careful with each other's hearts, and with yours." Santana smiled. "We saw your list."

"That's supposed to be a secret." Taylor grumbled.

"Taylor, sweetheart, you don't have to worry about that. It's not your responsibility to make sure mami and I don't make each other mad." Brittany told her.

"Yes it is, I made the wish to Santa, so I have to take care of it, like my toys." Taylor nodded. "You always say take care of my gifts and presents, and this was a present, we're a family again."

"Well, how about you let momma and I take care of this present for you." Santana stated. "You are off the hook, we want you to be happy, and play, and enjoy being a kid."

Taylor stared at them. "You'll take care of the present?"

"We promise." Brittany told her.

"Seal it with a kiss." Taylor smirked.

Santana leaned over and kissed Brittany softly and quickly. "Sealed with a kiss Taylor." She then winked at Brittany to scoot over next to Taylor, they locked eyes andf kissed all over their daughter's face.

"Okay, let's try the octopus." Taylor nodded full of confidence.

* * *

><p><strong>There is a sequel planned and will start after the new year<br>**

**tumblr - talksfanfic**


	11. Second Chances

The sequel has been posted and is entitled Second Chances - go find out what Brittany, Santana, and Taylor are up to three years from now.


End file.
